Things Like They Were
by FezzyPants
Summary: after the end of the series. Yuuri drags himself back to Shin Makoku after something bad happens, and he wants to stay for good. Can things go back to the way they were? Does anyone want them to? Now rated M. Maybe a bit angsty. Yuuram w/ side pairing
1. Chapter 1

Just another story about if Yuuri came back after the end of the series. I admit that everything might not be exactly canon, and a few might be a bit ooc. But I wrote the story the way I wanted. So there. :p

I don't own any of this stuff, just so you know. *sigh*

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_A dream_, Wolfram thought, staring with wide eyes. _This has to be a nightmare!_

He sat on his humble cot, clutching his blanket to his chest as drop after drop of what looked like blood materialized on the stone floor. He looked up, but there was no indication of a source. There was no blood on the ceiling. Steeling himself, Wolfram threw his blanket off and walked boldly up to the puddle. He reached out over it, expecting the drops to land on his hand from where they were falling, but they just continued to pool on the floor, so much so that Wolfram had to step back as the puddle expanded toward his bare feet.

It definitely smelled like blood.

Wolfram shook himself, backing up to sit on the edge of his bed.

_A nightmare for sure._ He closed his eyes and opened them again. _Still there. A vision?_

Wolfram thought about his brothers and his mother. His heart started pounding in earnest. Could one of them be injured? There was so much blood now. The pool was almost as large as a person. Just as Wolfram stood, intending to ascertain the welfare of his family, something else started to appear. He froze.

A burst of red and black sparks sizzled in the thick puddle, forming the shape of a young man. He lay on his side in the pool of blood, most likely his own, making no movement but for the slow, shallow jerk of his chest with breath, like a fish gasping on a riverbank.

Wolfram shrieked. "Yuuri!"

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Wolfram hardly noticed the gentle hands of his mother sponging the blood off of his face and arms. It had seeped into his plain woolen pajamas as he'd knelt in the pool, trying to save Yuuri with all the magic and desperation he possessed. He had no memory of flinging open the door and screaming for help, but he must have, for help had come.

The room was now lit by candles and lamps, and there were far too many people in Wolfram's tiny bedroom. He could barely see Yuuri, lying on the floor, surrounded by healers. Gisela was a little more relaxed than she had been when she'd first come in, finding Yuuri on the verge of bleeding to death under Wolfram's faltering magic.

_So pale…_ Wolfram thought. He closed his eyes.

"Wolfram," Cheri pressed, stroking his hair back from his face, and he drew together his frayed strands of composure.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Tell us what happened," she said, and Wolfram finally noticed his brothers standing behind her, crammed into the narrow space between his bed and the wall. Conrad was sitting on the other side of the bed in a familiar fashion, but Wolfram thought nothing of it.

"I had just lain down," he said. "And I heard a wet sound, so I sat up, thinking perhaps there was a leak somewhere. I lit my candle." He took a deep breath. "A pool of blood was gathering itself together in the floor. I couldn't tell where it was coming from. I… held my hand over it." He mimicked what he'd done without thinking, then drew his hand back to his chest. He looked at the stone ceiling, unconsciously acting out the traumatic scene. "But it wasn't dripping from above. I wondered if it were a nightmare or a vision…" He paused.

"And then?"

"I was thinking of what to do when Yuuri suddenly… appeared like that." He shifted in his clothes, now stiff and rank with the drying blood. "That's all."

"It sounds as though… he used the blood to transport himself here instead of water," Gwendal suggested.

"Isn't blood partly composed of water?" Conrad offered.

"But what happened to him?" Gunter whispered. He was pale and unable to look at Wolfram's face. The blond was obviously numb with shock after his nearly hysterical episode. He'd never been like this before, and it disturbed his brothers to see him this way.

"Why is he here?" Wolfram asked softly, finally giving voice to what they were all wondering. "He wasn't supposed to come back…"

"I will go to the Temple," Gwendal volunteered. No one replied. Yuuri was being gently lifted onto a litter.

"We've done all we can for now," Gisela said, her voice strained. She wiped her bloody hands on the front of her smock. "He'll be in the infirmary."

"You should bathe and change," Cheri said, and Wolfram looked away.

"If Her Majesty would bring Wolfram to the baths," Conrad said, "I will bring him a change of clothes."

"Very well," Cheri agreed, wrapping her hands around Wolfram's shoulders and standing him up. He shrugged her off and walked around the edge of the room to the door. As they moved down the hallway, dodging the servants, staring at his blood-soaked clothing, Cheri spoke again.

"We'll have some new pajamas made for you," she murmured. "You will sleep in my chambers tonight."

Wolfram nodded.

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It was late morning before Cheri woke, the night's upset having disrupted her routine. She looked over to find Wolfram in a dead sleep in the rolling cot beside her own bed. He'd insisted on not sleeping in her bed, claiming that he was too old, and that he would undoubtedly disturb her slumber with his constant tossing.

Cheri smiled softly. As if she hadn't grown used to that when he was a child!

Besides, Wolfram seemed to be lying in exactly the same position as the night before, wearing some of Conrad's large clothes. He was pale.

Cheri sighed. _My poor Wolfie…_

==============break================

Wolfram woke slowly to the smell of breakfast and of his mother's perfumed sheets. Familiar voices murmured somewhere nearby, hushed but not whispering. He opened his eyes softly and turned his head.

A table had been set up in the corner of the large, marble-lined room, and Conrad, Gunter, and his mother were having breakfast. Wolfram rolled over on his side, watching them in silence. He grimaced. His body was stiff. His eyes fell half-lidded.

_Why are they…?_

_They didn't want to wake you, but they didn't want to leave you alone either._

_I feel so numb._

Wolfram recognized the coldness. It wasn't as if he'd never been in shock before. He was a soldier, after all. It was different this time, though. The chill was so close to his core. His gaze fell from the others to the floor, and he wrapped an arm around himself.

_Yuuri_…

He wanted to ask if Yuuri were still alive, but he was afraid of the answer. He also didn't want to attract attention to himself. Blushing at the memory of his behavior the night before, he decided to lie still and listen.

"Those are all questions for when Yuuri awakens," Gunter sighed, his back to Wolfram. "Oh, Heika!" On the other side of the table, Conrad saw him watching and tipped his cup discreetly in greeting, but Wolfram made no reply. Of course, they knew he was awake; they must have heard him roll over a moment ago.

_When he awakens…_ Wolfram thought, relief piercing through the cushion around his heart. _He's still alive._

"You're right, of course," Cheri agreed.

Wolfram sat up, feeling the blankets slide down around him. Conrad's shirt slipped low on his shoulder, and he reached up absently to adjust it. Hearing his movements, the three turned to watch him.

"Good morning, Wolf," Cheri said. "Have some breakfast."

"I'm not hungry," he grumbled softly.

"But Wolfie!"

Wolfram gave her a sharp look that was so like his usual self that she shut her mouth instantly. He turned his head away.

_This… confusion won't go away until I see Yuuri._

But Wolfram paused, looking down at his pajamas. _I need to change, but…_

"Your change of clothes is hanging behind the screen," Conrad offered, and Wolfram breathed in relief. He wouldn't have to go back to that room just yet. He went behind the screen to change, but when he took the first article of clothing in his hands, he immediately gagged, covering his mouth with his arm to muffle the sound, but he could tell from their silence that they'd heard. For a moment, he debated with himself about whether or not to wear the offensive garment.

_It hung in that room all night, absorbing the smell._

_You've smelled like blood before. How many battles…?_

_But others would notice._

_You're going to the infirmary, anyway. It will smell like blood there, too._

_But… this smells like _his _blood._

Wolfram stepped closer to the hanging uniform, taking the sleeve between his fingers.

_Why is this smell so offensive to me? I've smelled blood before._

_But not his._

_Is it because you…?_

_Perhaps because you were supposed to protect him._

Wolfram's eyes lit up with recognition. He gritted his teeth.

_The fact that you can smell his blood means you failed to protect him._

That Yuuri had been seemingly exiled to Earth did little to assuage Wolfram's guilt. His sense of loyalty was too deeply engrained.

_Yuuri's blood…_

Growling quietly, Wolfram threw off his pajamas and shoved his limbs into the rusty-smelling uniform.

When Wolfram came out from behind the screen, he saw Gunter's nostrils flex slightly as he scented the blood in the air, but he said nothing. Conrad might not have been able to smell it, lacking the mazokus' keener senses.

"I'm going to the infirmary," Wolfram announced in a way that clearly forbade them following him, striding with false confidence through the door into the hallway. _Maybe if I expose myself more to this… it will stop making me into such a wimp._

The blond paused, clutching the cloth above his heart at the word that had so lightly slipped through his defenses.

"My Lord?" a guard at Cheri's door queried, but Wolfram ignored him, starting to move again toward the infirmary.

_I'm over him_, Wolfram reassured himself. _It's only natural that some things should still hurt. This is just reopening an old wound._

Wolfram stepped into the infirmary, and the healers paused, looking at him, wondering what he would do. The blond ignored them, tossing his hair indignantly at their stares. His eyes found Yuuri on the cot by the window, directly next to the healer's desk. Stiffly, he forced himself to move toward the chair beside it. He lowered himself into the seat, staring at the sleeping young man.

Yuuri was still pale. He was lying on his back, completely motionless. His right eye was swollen partially shut from an injury to his cheekbone. Two stitches were holding the cracked skin closed. His chest and stomach were heavily taped. Bandages wrapped his hands and fingers as well, likely from defensive wounds.

The blond sighed. _I told you not to go about unarmed._

Wolfram's brow bent as his eyes passed over and over Yuuri's figure. He'd grown taller in the time he'd been gone. His shoulders had broadened, and the lines of his face had matured.

The blond gave a noisy sigh, tearing his gaze away.

_I used to be so strong._

Wolfram leaned closer in to Yuuri. He felt himself keep going until his forehead was pressed into the mattress beside Yuuri's arm. For once he didn't care that others might see him.

_How does he do this to me without even being awake?_

Yuuri took a deep breath through his nose. "'Ulf…" he breathed, and Wolfram sat bolt upright, but Yuuri was still asleep.

_He called me._

_Does he smell me?_

"I'm here," Wolfram said, trying not to shake.

_You still love him. Idiot._

Wolfram looked up. "Gisela."

The lady turned and gave him a gentle smile as she approached. "Yes, My Lord?"

"What is Yuuri's condition?"

"Well, he was stabbed several times. There seem to have been at least two different blades used. Those wounds form the bulk of his injury. All else appears to be superficial," she said. "His wounds have been cleaned and stitched, of course. My healers are on a regimen of alternating blood-making maryoku with infection-killing maryoku." She looked away. "The wounds had been exposed to powerful filth, but I don't believe he will catch fever. Once we can stop fighting infection and move into flesh-stitching maryoku, I see no reason why he shouldn't make a full, swift recovery."

"Thank goodness," Gunter sighed behind him, and Wolfram in his seat turned to see him standing there, looking tired, with an equally exhausted Sage beside him.

"Sage," Wolfram said, more out of surprise than greeting. "You were brought back, too?"

Murata gave him a tired half-smile. "Obviously." He sighed. "Just when I was resigning myself to the monotony of regular life." He looked at Yuuri. "Not that Shibuya ever did." He moved closer, brushing Wolfram out of the way to lean over his friend.

"Yuuuriii~" he sang, lifting the young man's uninjured eyelid to peer into his eye. "Would you like me to take care of _that_?"

"Let him rest," Wolfram grumbled, and Murata stood, giving him an amused grin. He turned it almost instantly on Gisela.

"Where are his belongings?"

Gisela's innocuous smile faltered. "Here," she said, leading him to a desk drawer. She lifted the length of her necklace out of her shirt to reveal a key, which she used to unlock the drawer before opening it.

"Just these?" Murata said quietly, touching whatever was in the drawer, and she nodded.

"Well, his clothes were hopelessly sullied. It was difficult to even look through his pockets." She sighed. "His clothes have been burned by now, and anything else in them. If you were looking for something-"

"Just this," he said, turning his back to the others and using it to hide whatever he was lifting out of the drawer. Wolfram saw him slide it into his breast pocket as he turned. In his other hand was a folded leather thing that he remembered Yuuri had once called "wallat."

"Here, I'm trusting you with Shibuya's wallet," Murata said, slapping it against Wolfram's chest. "This is his most important Earth possession. He'll be sure to want it when he wakes, so take good care of it."

Wolfram's eyes steeled as he slid the mysterious 'wallat' into his breast pocket. He remembered that Yuuri had always had it with him and, on the rare occasion that someone else had handled it, he had always been subtly anxious about it until it had been returned.

"I will guard it with my life," he said.

But Murata just grinned at him again. He thought about telling him that Yuuri would never want that, but he highly doubted there would be any reason for Wolfram to defend the wallet, so he let Wolfram have his mission.

No, that wasn't why he'd given it to Wolfram, at all. He turned away.

"Let me know when he wakes. I'm going to take a bath."

"Wait!" Wolfram called, standing, and Murata paused, turning with curious eyes. "Do you know what happened to him? Why would anyone do this to him? If it was robbery, why didn't they take his important wallat?"

Murata bit back a wince. "Earth is a senselessly violent place, von Bielefeld," he said, tapping his finger thoughtfully on his lips. "But usually if money's not the motive, it's sex."

Wolfram stiffened, looking at Gisela with wide eyes. His heart was frozen in his chest.

"Well, was he raped, Gisela?" Murata asked, the lightness of his voice betraying that he knew the answer already.

She clutched her hands to her chest in distress. "We found no evidence of _that_!"

"Then perhaps he just pissed someone off. He's very good at that." Murata spun on his heel. "Well, if there's nothing else, then I'll be going."

Wolfram turned and sat slowly back down in his chair. When he felt a hand come to rest on the top of the chair beside his head, he remembered Gunter.

"Then… did Ulrike bring Yuuri back to save his life?" Wolfram asked.

Gunter hesitated. "According to what Gwendal told us, Yuuri brought himself back. When Ulrike realized what had happened, she called back the Great Sage."

"Why don't they send Yuuri back?"

The man sighed. "Since Yuuri fought so hard to come here, Shinou decided to give him a choice. You see, his ties to Earth are strong because he has blood there as well as love. But he has no biological ties to Shin Makoku. All that ties him here is his love for the place."

_Ah._

"According to Shinou, having a child of his own blood would be ideal, but… since that seems unlikely for him, Shinou has shown mercy. If Yuuri wants to stay in Shin Makoku, all he must do is get married within six months' time."

The blond bit his tongue to restrain an unbidden moan of confusion from shaming him in the middle of the infirmary.

"I have told no one yet but you, Wolfram. I am aware, of course, that you never finished the paperwork to officially annul your engagement."

Wolfram's cheeks burned.

"As long as Yuuri wasn't coming back, I figured it was your own business. I make no judgments as to your reasons," Gunter continued quietly, "but I will give you until the time Yuuri wakes to complete the paperwork. If, when he awakens and is able to understand the situation, you have finished the paperwork, I will tell him that your engagement was annulled, and he must seek someone else. If, on the other hand, you have not, then I will inform him that he is still officially engaged to you."

Wolfram stared out the window at the blue sky, so many thoughts whizzing through his head that he couldn't latch onto any of them.

"You see, he's sure to ask about that, and you know I cannot lie to him." Gunter's voice was soft. "But you mustn't feel like you must marry him. There are many who would take your place without question if need be, so if he wants to stay, there are options. I know, at the very least, one person who would take Yuuri in an instant… if it came down to it."

The blond startled visibly. He turned to look at Gunter's pale face.

Of course. Gunter was in love with Yuuri, too. He had been all this time.

Wolfram looked away again. "Gisela… how long do you think it will be before he regains consciousness?"

Gisela looked up from where she'd been working at the desk. "Not more than two more days at this rate."

_I can't think here._ Wolfram stood. "Thank you, Gunter." He straightened his tunic and hurried toward the hall, but he paused in the doorway. "I will not be in for dinner. Do not come looking for me."

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Murata's eyes were fixed on the ceiling above his bed. He listened to the silence in his room, letting it settle into his chest, trying to calm himself. He hadn't been expecting to get so worked up about Wolfram's question. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths.

As his heartbeat slowed to a more normal pace, Murata felt himself relaxing into his lavender-scented mattress.

_This place really is better. I want to stay, too, Yuuri._

"Yuuri," he sighed. "You're such an idiot! But you saved me, so I guess I shouldn't complain."

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AN

I would love some feedback. It's been a long time since I wrote anything and I feel rather rusty.


	2. Paperwork

hello again! some shout-outs...

lili974WOLF: thanks! i will. lol i don't speak french but i think i got it.

SofiaDragon: thanks! i appreciate the feedback.

nsomniacartist: here you go! lol ty

Sincere Disappearance: whoops! thanks.. lol some of this was written very late at night.

OilWar: i hate those kinds of endings too! i guess that's why i wanted to write this.

============ break ==============

The field was quiet. The only sounds were the rushing of the breeze through the grass and the leaves tinkling together above Wolfram's head. If he looked up, he could see the blue sky through the soft green leaves, but he was looking down.

In front of him rested a small knapsack with food and water, a pot of ink, and a rock weighing down a piece of parchment. He was holding a quill. A few yards away, Wolfram's horse chewed at a few strands of grass, its reins dangling down beside its head to drag on the ground.

No one would bother Wolfram here, in the shade of this tree.

He stared at the half-finished annulment certificate. The day that Yuuri had gone, Wolfram had filled in each of their names on the form, but it had lain in that state on the corner of his desk, pinned beneath a lamp ever since. No dates had been filled in, and the field left open to explain the reason for the annulment was empty. There were no signatures on the lines at the bottom, and no seal had been imprinted upon it.

What could he have written for an explanation? There couldn't be only one signature on the form. In cases of absence, the undertaker usually would sign the other line, but this time, there was no undertaker. Yuuri wasn't dead. He could have asked his mother to sign it, but the idea made him feel sick.

In the end, having been faced with the prospect of putting into words that Yuuri was gone forever but not dead, Wolfram had abandoned the paperwork, telling himself that he would come back to it later.

Three years had passed. It wasn't a lot of time for a demon, but still it had seemed like a lot of time.

Wolfram lay back against the tree, letting the hand holding the quill fall to his side. He stared up at the flashing leaves.

Three long, cold winters. Three intolerably beautiful summers. Three cool autumns and three blushing springs, all spent alone, trying to pretend that he didn't see Yuuri in every snowflake and every flower.

Wolfram couldn't try to pretend anymore that he didn't love Yuuri or want him. The question was, did he dare put himself in the same position he had been in before?

_No._

He gritted his teeth. _Do you have the guts to finally dispose of me, Yuuri?_

The blond shook himself, leaning forward with the quill in his hand. He filled in the date, then paused.

_Wait._

His fingers shook. The question on the page stared at him mockingly.

_Explanation?_

Now, he had to answer. What could he write? Should he pretend he'd filled it in weeks ago and write that Yuuri was gone? Fill in a date from long before? Or should he tell another lie instead, writing that he no longer wanted Yuuri?

He could write the truth, that Yuuri had taken him for granted and had never wanted to marry him in the first place. Shame made his cheeks burn. He started to write.

_It appears as though the first party regrets having asked for the second party's hand. In order to spare the first party pain, the second party agrees to free the first party from his mistaken engagement._

Wolfram stared at what he had written, letting his hand fall to the soft grass. He'd written it in a way that preserved Yuuri's dignity and his own sense of duty, and he hadn't lied. It was simple, and it hadn't exposed the emotions of either party.

It was what he should have done long, long ago. Why didn't he?

_I can't hold onto him anymore when he doesn't want me._

Tears filled Wolfram's eyes as he signed his name. It was messy because he couldn't see through the shimmering water as he wrote, but he was sure it was adequate. From his knapsack he brought out his sealing kit. He summoned a small flicker of flame to melt the wax and, with a shaking hand, pressed the seal into the parchment beside his signature.

Wolfram rolled up the parchment and slid it into the knapsack. He could hear himself sniffling as he latched the bag, and he drew his arm across his leaking eyes. His forearm knocked a weight in his pocket, and he remembered Yuuri's 'wallat.' He put his hand on the flat thing in his breast pocket, feeling relief mix into his grief.

At least if Yuuri stayed, he could still serve him faithfully. This increased the possibility of being able to be near him. Yuuri might have chosen to leave again rather than hurt Wolfram by choosing to marry someone else, but now that Wolfram was freeing Yuuri of his own will, he would be more likely to seek a bride himself.

The wimp was, after all, stupid like that.

And perhaps if Yuuri still didn't want to stay, it wouldn't hurt as much when he left again.

Wolfram surprised himself with a sob, and he leaned forward until his head was pressed into the grass, trying to calm himself.

Finality was something he just couldn't stand.

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AN

Sorry it's so short. A bit busy with work and stuff.

Grateful for your reviews!


	3. Waking Dream

Thanks for reviewing again y'all!

Gwenny luvs cute stuff: thanks!

nsomniacartist: lol sorry! we'll just have to see what happens ;)

aeon fear: gee, maybe he does! lol... as for greta, i guess that was one example of what i was talking about when i was saying everything wasn't exactly canon... i was planning on telling my story without her, but if you want her, i'll work her in. it'll just make my story a little more complicated, which is fine, but will take longer to update.

well, here's chapter 3!

============ break =============

Cheri heaved a huge sigh. The atmosphere of the conference room was oppressive.

_Why do I have to be here anyway? It's not as if I don't care about Yuuri, but what can I contribute to a dull meeting?_

Her mood worsened as she passed her gaze around the circular room. The table, like the warm, wood-paneled walls, was round, so there would be no 'head of the table,' a concession to diplomatic humility. There were three rectangular windows; the light that came through was dim, a twilight purple. In one chair, Gwendal was sitting in his usual green uniform with his hands in his lap, his fingers twitching as if he wanted to knit. Conrad was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. No one was speaking.

Just as Cheri stood to go, the hem of her flowing dress brushing over her ankles, the door opened, and she gave a petulant sigh, sitting down again as Gunter came in, followed by Wolfram, whose head was lowered but whose eyes were darting from person to person, challenging.

"The Great Sage?" Gwendal asked, and Gunter shook his head.

"Resting. He's appointed me to speak on his behalf."

"Very well, then. It appears we have as much of a quorum as we're going to get," the black-haired mazoku said as everyone took their seats. "The questions we need to discuss are as follows: Yuuri's status as Maoh, the conditions of his remaining in Shin Makoku, and the state of his engagement. Is there anything I'm missing?"

"What about Greta?" Conrad asked suddenly, and Wolfram, in the chair to his right, stiffened.

"I'm not calling Greta back," Wolfram spat, crossing his arms over his chest. "If Yuuri doesn't stay, she'll just be ripped away from him again, and I'm not putting her through that."

Though Conrad was not sure he agreed, he conceded to Wolfram's judgment on the matter. Apparently the others were of the same mind. Gwendal moved to his first topic.

"Gunter, did the Sage say anything about Shinou's will concerning the rule of the country?"

Gunter stood and dramatically swept his silky hair back from his shoulder. "Heika's purpose as Maoh has been fulfilled as far as Shinou is concerned. But if the people and the nobles are amenable, we may reinstate Yuuri as Maoh. The fact that he brought himself here is evidence of his undiminished spiritual potency."

"So, the next step would be to ascertain the will of the people and of the ten nobles in this matter," Gwendal picked up, and Gunter sat down. "That will be easier once we've established Yuuri's will as far as… the conditions."

The room fell silent.

"I suppose we all know, by now, the conditions stipulated by Shinou," Gwendal hinted, his brow twitching with the effort of not looking at Wolfram.

"I'm almost finished filling out the annulment paperwork," Wolfram said, turning his gaze toward an unoccupied section of wall. "It's waiting on Yuuri's signature. Then he can choose whoever he wants… if he wants."

"I see," Gwendal said, his stoic voice betraying no judgment whatsoever. "My signature has authority to annul the engagement, if you wish."

Wolfram gritted his teeth, speaking slowly. "Yuuri will sign it."

Gwendal gave one nod and let the matter drop. Conrad's face was turned away. But Cheri leaned closer to Wolfram, pouting.

"But why, Wolfie?" she whined. "You were so cute together! And I was sure he-"

"He doesn't want me, Mother!" Wolfram cried, standing and slamming his hands down, his palms slapping noisily on the cold tabletop. He stood in silence for a moment, reining himself in. "I have nothing else to say to this meeting." He straightened his back and stomped quickly out, trailing a warm breeze in his wake.

The room fell into silence again. Cheri sat back with a sigh, looking out the windows behind Gwendal's scowl. Night had fallen, and the sky was dark.

Gwendal stood. "I suppose the meeting is adjourned."

============ break =============

"You're going to be no use to your men tomorrow," the Healer's apprentice said quietly. Conrad looked up at her gently smiling face. She was standing next to him, holding a folded blanket in her arms. He shifted on the wooden stool, leaning against the stone wall which at first had been comfortable but was now causing numbness in parts of his back. His eyes were tired, and he was sure they showed it.

He didn't know how to answer. It wasn't as if he'd been sleeping in his room, anyway. At least this way he could watch Yuuri instead of just worrying.

"He's getting better, you know," the young lady continued, tucking a lock of blond hair behind her ear. Her voice was quiet, the way everyone speaks more softly in a dim room at night without thinking about it. "There's nothing to worry about."

"I don't want him to wake up alone," Conrad replied, looking again at Yuuri's sleeping form, visible in the light of the moon through the window and of the single candle on a desk in the other room.

"I'll be here all night."

The knight folded his arms over his chest. "He doesn't know you."

For a moment, the girl shifted on her feet, looking to Yuuri and back to Conrad.

"As you wish," she said, handing him the blanket, and he took it to humor her.

Conrad spread the blanket over his legs as she moved into the other room. After a moment, he could hear the scratching of her quill across a page. His attention focused on Yuuri, and he quelled a wave of anger.

Yuuri still looked so pale, though the swelling in his cheekbone had gone down some. His face was impassive, and his breathing was slow and even.

Someone had hurt Yuuri, and Conrad didn't know who. Neither did he have a way to find or punish the culprit. He clenched his fist on his blanketed knee, then sighed.

_Perhaps I could almost forgive them if this makes Yuuri stay…_

============ break =============

Conrad jumped, his hand going for his sword, but a strong grip on his wrist prevented him, and his eyes focused. Someone was clasping his shoulder in his hand.

"It's me," Gwendal's deep voice said quietly, and Conrad relaxed back into his seat. He'd fallen asleep against the wall, and dawn was already creeping rosily along the line of hills outside the window.

Gwendal stood straight, releasing him. Conrad rubbed his wrist. His brother was strong.

"You have about an hour to sleep before you will have to perform your duties," Gwendal said. "Go to your bed."

Conrad said nothing, but he looked at Yuuri, and Gwendal straightened his back.

"I'll watch him now."

The knight nodded, standing and pressing his hands into his lower back to pop his spine mercilessly into place. He twisted and shook his limbs for a moment before hobbling stiffly away, giving Yuuri one last look before going into the dewy hallway.

Gwendal approached Yuuri's bed and looked down at the young man's face. He seemed to be getting stronger. The dark-haired mazoku reached into his pocket and brought out something round and soft. He squeezed it in his hand for a moment before setting it against Yuuri's pale throat, as if it were cuddling him.

Yuuri's eyelids suddenly opened halfway. He blinked, his eyes moving slowly as if he couldn't really see. The young man's lips parted, but he made no attempt to speak.

"Yuuri…" Gwendal said, brow raised in surprise. "Can you hear me?"

The young man's eyes widened. "G-Gwen…" he rasped, coughing, and Gwendal knelt beside the cot, his hand nestling in Yuuri's hair.

"You should not speak," Gwendal said. "Do not worry about anything. Just rest."

Gwendal tightened his hand into a fist. Who would have done this to him, and why?

Yuuri's eyes closed again, and with a slow, hissing expiration of breath, he fell back into sleep. Gwendal sighed through his nose, absently stroking Yuuri's hair with his thumb.

============ break =============

The next time Yuuri woke, he lay with his eyes closed, unwilling to betray that he was no longer sleeping. He felt weak, and his body hurt, especially his side. He remembered very well what had happened, so he wasn't surprised.

Mostly, he didn't want to open his eyes because while his eyes were closed, he could pretend he was in Shin Makoku. He had a memory of a dream in which Gwendal had spoken to him, and as long as he didn't wake up all the way, he could hold onto it. As long as he didn't open his eyes, he could still smell Gisela's potions and hear the voices of people he knew to be unreachably far from him.

_Murata…_ Yuuri thought, and he felt his brow twitch in a frown. _If they did this to me, what did they do to you?_

"Do you think he's having a nightmare?" a female voice asked quietly. "He's frowning."

Yuuri could hear the soft rustling of clothes as someone knelt beside his bed. The smell that wafted to him made his heart ache.

_Wolfram…_

"Yuuri…" growled the familiar voice of a male, high-pitched but intimidating, "why are you pretending to sleep?"

Yuuri's eyes popped open, and he gasped. His hand weakly snaked out from under the covers to grab the person's blue collar. His eyes twitched back and forth, and he blinked rapidly, trying to clear his foggy eyes. "Wolfram?" he squeaked. "Is that you?"

His heart twinged. It couldn't be Wolfram. His eyes couldn't focus. The person was wearing blue and had a shining mop of blond hair, but it couldn't possibly be Wolfram.

"Of course it's me!" the person grumbled, reaching up to grasp Yuuri's wrist as if to remove his hand from his shirt, but letting it remain. "Can't you see?"

"Not really." The strength in Yuuri's grip faded, and he felt the familiar material slip out of his fingers. The person claiming to be Wolfram released his wrist, and his hand fell limply back to the covers. "I'm not pretending."

"I've seen you when you're really asleep."

"I'm still dreaming."

The apparition was silent for a moment before standing. Quietly, the person murmured, "Idiot." He started moving away.

"No…" Yuuri groaned, reaching toward him. A set of cold fingers gently gripped his wrist and pressed it back to his own chest.

"It's all right," the lady said. "He's only going to sit in the corner and finish his breakfast." She pulled the sheets back and started unbuttoning his shirt.

"What are you…?" Yuuri breathed, blinking. His eyes were clearing a little. The lady had long blond hair.

"You had some serious wounds," she explained, and Yuuri felt her removing bandages from his side. "I'm checking on their progress. They should be almost healed."

"Huh?" Yuuri gasped, not because he didn't remember getting hurt, but because he was surprised at the sharp pains he felt as she cleaned them. In dreams, one shouldn't be able to feel pain, or so he'd thought.

"You're recuperating from a lack of blood and from expending a huge amount of maryoku."

"What?" he breathed.

"You used a lot to bring yourself back here."

Yuuri's body stiffened. "I…"

He fainted.

============ break =============

Murata sat staring at the black box on top of his desk. It was finally clean.

He'd spent hours with rags and what passed in Shin Makoku for a gentle cleaning solution, removing the blood from the black velvet box as best he could. It was still stained, but at least it wasn't dirty. Now, there was only the tag. Wolfram's name on the tag was still legible in smeared black ink, but the paper was stained uniformly red from having absorbed Yuuri's blood.

Yuuri would probably want to make a new tag and get a new box, but at least if Ken left it this way, Yuuri would feel more sure that no one had tampered with it or looked inside.

Far be it from Murata Ken to respect Yuuri's personal space, but in this matter, he'd conceded to common decency and left the contents alone. This box had become Yuuri's prized possession, so much so that he'd kept it taped to his chest with waterproof tape at all times. When Murata had asked him why, he'd replied with a sad smile, "Just in case."

He'd never shown Murata what was inside. He'd rarely known Yuuri to be serious about anything, but he'd been so serious about the box. Murata couldn't bring himself to open it.

A quiet tap on the door made Murata jump. He realized he'd picked up the box and had been staring at it for a long time. He turned in his seat toward the door.

"Come in."

The door opened, and Conrad stepped inside. "You called?"

"Yes. Close the door behind you, please." Murata stood, and when he'd turned to face Conrad again, he found the man looking past him at his desk.

"Are you… injured?"

Murata saw that he was looking at the bloody cleaning cloths, and he laughed quietly. "No." _Not that much_. "I was using those to clean this." He held up the box, and Conrad reached for it, but Murata pulled it back. "I'd rather you didn't. You see, this is Yuuri's most important thing."

Conrad's brow lifted curiously.

Murata set the box down. "We need to talk."

============ break =============

AN

Again, thanks in advance for your reviews. BTW, please keep in mind that I have no beta, so if there's a mistake, be gentle. T_T


	4. Hope Hurts

Hey, yall... thanks for the reviews! Don't have time for shout-outs today (on the way to work) but I wanted to go ahead and upload the next part, since I'm not sure when I'll get a chance later. Here you go!

============ break ============

Yuuri frowned. Something was tickling his nose. He shifted, lifting his hand to swat weakly at it. His hand hit something strange, and he opened his eyes.

A man chuckled above him, and Yuuri looked up to see a toy, blue and soft and vaguely resembling a cat being held above his face by a pale hand. He blinked, squinting his eyes. Slowly, they focused.

"A cat?" he rasped, then swallowed. His throat was scratchy. _Gwendal?_

"Shibuya."

Yuuri startled. His eyes focused on the person holding the stuffed animal.

"Murata…" he answered quietly. His eyes were wide, and he looked around in amazement at the long, rectangular stone room. It seemed the cots lining the other wall were vacant. "Am I… awake?"

Gisela came to stand behind Murata. "Good afternoon."

"Afternoon?" Yuuri replied breathlessly. His eyes passed over the room again.

"You're not dreaming," Murata said. "You brought yourself here using your blood as a medium for travel." He set the stuffed creature on the bed beside his pillow.

"Are you…" Yuuri passed his eyes over Murata's form. "Are you all right?" His eyes were full of unspoken things that he knew Murata would understand.

"Yes," Ken replied, almost laughingly. "Thanks to you. That was stupid, you know."

Yuuri pouted, grumbling. "You're welcome."

"Here," Murata said, reaching into his breast pocket and taking something out. "This was still on you when you arrived."

Yuuri gasped. It was his box, the cliché black velvet stained and flattened here and there by blood. The tag was red and splotchy, Wolfram's name a smear of barely legible black. The young man grasped at it with wide eyes, clutching it tightly. He looked timidly up at Murata.

"Did the… blood get inside?" he asked quietly, and Murata blinked as if the possibility hadn't occurred to him.

"I didn't look."

"You didn't?" Yuuri echoed in surprise. He stared down at the box. "I guess I'd better check." He opened it just a crack, peering inside, then sighed, snapping it closed. "It's fine." He looked up at Murata again. "Hey…"

"Yeah?"

"About Wolfram…"

Murata nodded, and Yuuri continued.

"Is he… I mean… Is he still _available_?"

Murata frowned. "What do you mean?"

Blushing, Yuuri turned his eyes away. "It's been a long time, you know. Has he…"

The Sage's eyes softened uncharacteristically as his resolve steeled.

"Look, Shibuya," he said, "Wolfram never married anyone else, but he intends to serve you with annulment papers."

Yuuri's hands tensed around the box in his hands.

"But he doesn't mean it. I _know _he doesn't."

"Why not?" Yuuri asked quietly, disbelieving.

"Because he left them on his desk, unfinished, the whole time you were gone. It wasn't until he heard of the conditions for your staying here that he decided to finish them."

"Conditions?"

"Shinou says you have to get married within six months in order to form a blood tie to Shin Makoku. Then you can stay."

"…Oh."

"Knowing Wolfram, all the papers mean is that he wants you to stay and his pride won't let him tie you down."

"I… guess…"

"You do _want _to stay, don't you?"

Yuuri scowled, turning his face away. "You know I do."

"Then win Wolfram back and marry him," Murata insisted, his voice hard.

"What if he won't marry me?"

"Then chalk it up to karma, marry someone else, and stay anyway."

Yuuri's eyes widened.

"There are lots of people who will marry you, Yuuri, if you ask them," Murata said, then hesitated. He gathered strength and crossed his arms over his chest, straightening his back. "If I'm wrong, then _I'll _marry you."

"Murata!" Yuuri gasped, scandalized.

"Well, I want to stay too, and I have a feeling that if you go back, I have to go with you." His eyes narrowed, and he leaned in close to Yuuri's face, touching the double-black's lips with his thumb. "Besides…" he purred, "would it be so bad?"

"Bleh!" Yuuri spat, knocking his hand away, thoroughly unthreatened by Murata's show. "That's be like marrying Shouri!"

Murata laughed, and some of the tension in his face eased. He stood and moved away. "Anyway," he said lightly, "I'm sure Wolfram will marry you. You have a talent for winning over stubborn people, Yuuri. Besides, I've got a plan."

"A plan?" Yuuri's ears perked.

"You see, there's another engagement tradition you probably never learned about. When Wolfram brings you the papers, you legally must sign them, but you must do it in this way…"

============ break ============

"Oh, Heika…" Gunter sighed, clasping his hands together in front of himself. He stood on his balcony, staring up dramatically at the moon. "Could it be that you're really in love?"

_But not with me…_

"If what Murata says is true, can there be any doubt?" Conrad said from inside the room, watching Gunter through the open glass doors. It was chilly, but somehow Gunter didn't seem to feel it through his thin, flowing nightgown. The gown had little ruffles on the edges that suited him perfectly but would have looked ridiculous on anyone else, except, perhaps, for Wolfram.

"What does the box look like?" Gunter asked as he stepped back in.

"It's about as wide as a man's hand, and it's very flat," Conrad said. "What does it matter?"

"I wish we knew what was in it…"

"Unnecessary," Gwendal muttered from where he was sitting at Gunter's breakfast table, still in his uniform, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were narrowed with tension. "The Sage is manipulative, but I do not believe him to be an outright teller of tales… especially concerning the future happiness of the Maoh. He is, ultimately, too much his friend."

"I agree," Conrad said.

"Then I suppose we shall have to help them along. Oh…" Gunter sighed at the romanticism of the idea, though he was pricked by a small pang of jealousy. "Heika! Will you finally live happily among us forever?"

"His Majesty will probably wake up tomorrow," Conrad said, "and when he does, Wolfram will undoubtedly rush to his side with those papers to get it over with. The Sage has informed me that he will be waiting by Yuuri's side day and night so he can speak to Yuuri first… and tell him what he must do."

"Will he have the guts to do it?" Gwendal asked, his brow twitching.

"If he doesn't," Conrad said softly, "then perhaps he truly does not deserve Wolfram."

Gunter gasped, but Conrad had already bowed, placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, as was his habit, and started striding toward the door, his head lowered.

When he was gone, Gunter sighed, melancholy overtaking his features. He didn't feel comfortable showing his true face to Conrad, but Gwendal was a closer friend. The quiet man at the table sighed, too.

"Do you still love Yuuri?" Gwendal asked, and Gunter tossed his hair lightly back over his shoulder with a sad smile.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. In any case, he belongs to Wolfram."

Gwendal leaned back in his seat. "You would offer yourself as an alternative if Wolfram refused to marry him, would you not?"

Gunter frowned, reluctant to answer. Gwendal returned the gesture, standing and striding toward him in his heavy boots. Gunter's frown deepened as Gwendal got closer and closer, showing no sign of stopping, and the slender mazoku staggered back a step, but too slowly. Gwendal wrapped a muscular arm around him, staring down into his eyes. He was practically crushing Gunter against him, forcing the smell of lavender into the air from his clothes. Gunter's arms were curled up, tense, between them.

"Couldn't you forget about him?" Gwendal murmured. "Couldn't you notice someone else, for a change?"

Gunter's eyes widened, and he blushed. His lips parted, but he stammered breathlessly. Eventually, he was able to sputter, "L-Lord von Voltaire…"

The tall mazoku's eyes darkened with displeasure. His arm released Gunter, and he took the man's shoulders in his hands, pushing him gently back a step. He turned away. "Goodnight, Lord von Christ."

Gunter found himself staring at the door long after Gwendal had passed through it. He shook his head slowly, going to close his balcony doors and sit on his bed. His heart was pounding.

He couldn't say that he'd particularly liked or disliked it when Gwendal had put his arm around him. It had been so unexpected that Gunter had used all his time being surprised and nervous.

"Does Gwendal… want me?" Gunter muttered.

He sighed, pressing his hand to his forehead for a moment before deciding he was ready to sleep. He reached back and started braiding his long hair for bed.

============ break ============

"You look tired," Yozak observed as he finished tying the drawstring of the breeches he usually slept in. The small room was lit only by a candle on the nightstand beside the man, who'd been preparing for bed. The entire back wall was covered by his quivering shadow.

Conrad was dragging his feet through the door of their bedroom. His hand, normally resting atop the hilt of his sword when he walked, was pressing down on it as if the hand itself were heavy.

"I wish Yuuri would wake up," Conrad sighed as he let himself fall back on the chair at the little breakfast table in the corner. He smelled Yozak coming up behind him, freshly washed with unscented soap, and the man's hands came to rest on his shoulders. After a moment, he squeezed the muscles beneath his palms and started massaging Conrad's shoulders slowly.

"He will wake up soon," Yozak said. "He's too strong to let something like that kill him."

"Nnn…" Conrad sighed, relaxing under Yozak's strong hands. His head rolled forward. Those hands had killed, but they were only ever kind for Conrad. His lover's thumbs kneaded his back with gentle force, digging into battle-hardened muscles. Conrad lifted his hands and unbuckled his sword belt, letting the metal and leather hit the floor with a clang.

"It's time to rest."

"Tomorrow Yuuri's going to contest Wolfram's annulment papers," Conrad spilled. Yozak's hands stopped moving. "Good for him," he said, amusement showing through in his voice. "Come to bed. I'll help you relax."

When Conrad went to stand again, he found his knees were stiff after sitting, but he followed Yozak to the bed and sat on the edge where his lover had indicated. Yozak smiled, kneeling on the floor between his legs, and leaned in for a kiss. Conrad sighed into it, letting Yozak do whatever he wanted for once. The redhead unbuttoned the brunet's shirt and pushed it insistently down off of his shoulders. Conrad chuckled into Yozak's mouth, shifting his arms to let it fall off the rest of the way. Yozak ran his hands over his chest, still kissing Conrad unhurriedly. Conrad wrapped his arms around Yozak's waist, and the redhead sighed as his lover squeezed him.

He broke the kiss. "Turn on your stomach. I'll rub your back."

Conrad obeyed, kicking off his boots into the floor as he stretched out along the mattress, and he felt the bed shift as Yozak climbed in after him. Straddling him, Yozak pressed his palms into his back and started working on his muscles. The brunet relaxed easily under the redhead's loving touches.

"I want this kind of thing for Yuuri and Wolfram," Conrad breathed.

"They'll have it," Yozak said quietly, leaning down to place a small kiss on the back of Conrad's neck. "They just need to work it out for themselves, like we did."

"I guess so…" Conrad's voice was getting quieter as he started drifting off. Yozak smiled, lightening his touch more and more until he could tell by his breathing that Conrad had fallen asleep. He sighed, leaning over Conrad's prone body to blow out the candle before stretching out beside him in the dark.

============ break ============

The next morning, the retainers and Cheri were having breakfast as usual. No one spoke, anxious about this and that. About halfway through, a servant came to intrude nervously on their meal with a handful of notes. He handed them out to each of the retainers with an anxious bow before scuttling away.

"What?" Gunter gasped. "Heika has already been reinstalled in his former lodgings without my being informed?"

"You're being informed now, aren't you?" Cheri sighed.

"The Great Sage's doing, I'm sure," Gwendal grumbled.

"He's invited us all to lunch?" Conrad murmured, frowning, peering at Gwendal's note next to him.

"That means he's awake!" Gunter suddenly realized. "Oh, Heika! To think I must wait until lunchtime to see you!"

Wolfram stood, bracing himself with his hands on the table. He wouldn't meet their eyes as he excused himself and made immediately for the door.

Cheri leaned over to look at his note, which he'd abandoned by his plate. "Yuuri wants to see Wolfram immediately."

The retainers looked at each other nervously, suddenly losing their appetites.

============ break ============

Wolfram was not allowed to hesitate at Yuuri's doors, though his pounding heart made him want to freeze. As soon as he arrived, a guard politely informed him that he was expected and opened the door for him. Scowling, Wolfram walked in like a soldier at attention.

"Your Majest…" Wolfram's voice trailed off, and he blushed, turning away with a cough of irritation.

Yuuri was sitting on the edge of the bed. One maid was behind him, holding him up, while another was helping him put on his shirt. The wounds which only a few days ago had run freely with blood were now only flecks of shining white against his ribs.

Wolfram crossed his arms over his chest, his attempt at formality falling away. "Yuuri… why would you summon me if you're still getting dressed?"

"Wolfram…" Yuuri said, and he laughed quietly, nervously. His voice had deepened, and Wolfram restrained a shiver.

Yuuri seemed to be growing into the very man Wolfram had always seen in him, no matter how he'd railed against him.

"I didn't think it would take this long to get ready," he said. "Anyway, it's nothing you haven't seen."

_That's not true_, Wolfram thought. _You're… grown up now._

The silence felt awkward to Wolfram, and he shifted on his feet.

Yuuri dismissed the servants, who walked out with nervously lowered eyes. The door closed behind them.

For a moment, neither spoke. It was too strange, Yuuri sitting there on his bed, facing the open balcony doors, and Wolfram standing there, watching. It had been so long. A breeze blew in, stirring Yuuri's hair, and it seemed to draw him out of his thoughts. He turned to look at Wolfram with those big, black, hopeful eyes.

"What are you doing?" he wondered. "Don't you have something to ask me?"

The blond straightened his back and went to stand in front of Yuuri. He reached into his pocket.

"Here."

Yuuri blinked, taken aback as Wolfram produced the folded leather 'wallat'. He'd been expecting something much different. His mouth hung open for a moment before he spoke. "My wallet?"

"The Sage asked me to look after this until you woke. He said it was your most important Earth possession."

The double black stared at the wallet, his head cocking to the side. He looked at Wolfram. "Thank you for taking care of it for me, just in case, but I don't need that anymore."

"Don't need it?" Wolfram echoed. "But he said-"

Yuuri took it from his hand and opened it, showing him what was inside. "This is Earth money and identification." He handed it back. "It's true that on Earth it's very important, but I won't be needing that anymore. Please dispose of it for me."

The blond stared for a moment before letting his hand drop to his side. "You're really planning to stay then."

"Yes." Yuuri's fingers clenched on the sheets. Wolfram's eyes narrowed as he held the wallet out to the side, at arm's length, and suddenly torched it with a flick of his fingers, leaving a greasy smell in the air.

Yuuri sighed deeply, turning so that he could lean back on the bedpost for support. Wolfram was still standing there with the sun at his back from the balcony. It made his hair shine, and Yuuri smiled so softly that the blond startled. His cheeks turned pink, and he fumbled through his pockets for the thing that Yuuri had been expecting.

"I've decided to give you what you need in order to be able to stay in Shin Makoku more easily," Wolfram said. It was something he'd rehearsed, and it came out because he was nervous, even though he could tell that Yuuri had been expecting this. He wasn't sure how he was going to react when Yuuri signed the papers. He set the parchment on Yuuri's lap. Squeezing his eyes shut, he swallowed hard to keep his heart out of his throat.

_Please just sign it quickly._

The double black's face was tense, and his eyes were dark. "Bring me my seal, if you don't mind." His voice was quiet. "It's in the-"

"I know where it is," Wolfram spat, made peevish by impatience and nerves. He fetched the seal, some wax, and a quill and ink from the desk, setting them on the nightstand so Yuuri could work. He sat on the chair beside the bed to wait, staring, not noticing that his hands were clenched around his knees.

_Why am I so nervous? Why can't I shake off that last little bit of hope?_

_It's going to be the end of me._

He wasn't surprised when Yuuri took the quill in hand, but when he suddenly turned the paper upside-down, Wolfram shot to his feet, knocking the chair back on the floor.

"What the hell are you doing, Wimp?" he screamed. "You can't!"

"Then torch me." Yuuri quickly signed his name upside-down on the underside of the line.

Wolfram threw his fists down at his sides as Yuuri sealed the paper officially. He pointed accusingly at Yuuri, flames building at his palms. "Who _told _you?" he wailed. "Why? Why are you doing this to me? Just let me shame myself and get it over with!"

_I finally got together the strength to break away from you, and you do this!_

"Really, you demons and your strange traditions," Yuuri chuckled nervously. "Legally, you have to… give me another year to… win you if I sign this way, right?" Yuuri said quietly. He was blushing and couldn't look Wolfram in the face. "Legally… this is the most I can do to refuse, right?"

"Yuuri, there's no reason for this," Wolfram said, gathering his composure. He went to the window so Yuuri couldn't see him fighting tears. "I already know you don't want me. Please don't… prolong this. If there's a scrap of decency in you…" He turned around, his eyes wide with tears and bewilderment. "I'm giving you the chance to escape! Don't you understand?" He glared. "What the hell did Murata tell you? He's trying to confuse you!"

"I'm _not _confused!" Yuuri suddenly boomed in a deep voice, and Wolfram staggered back a step, expecting to see Yuuri transformed, but he wasn't. He was just older. "At least, I'm not anymore. Wolf, I lo-"

"Don't!" the blond gasped, tossing his head like a wounded animal against the hope that threatened to roar to life in his heart, like some dangerously irrepressible fire, but he stamped it out, sweeping his arm out in front of him, restraining the flames from licking their way out of his fingertips.

"Don't you dare say that to me!" Wolfram hissed. "Don't. You. _Dare_." He curled his hand back against his side.

_Yuuri, please stop! This is what makes me love you._

Yuuri bit his lip. "I will concede that I… have not earned that right," he said quietly. "I would never wish… your previous lifestyle on anyone, not after having a taste of what it feels like. And I don't expect your trust or forgiveness instantly. But that's why I signed the way I did! This gives me time to prove to you that… that my feelings have changed, Wolfram. Or… rather that I've grown into them."

Hearing Yuuri say it that way struck a chord within Wolfram, but he grit his teeth against it. "How can I possibly believe you? You appear out of nowhere, after rejecting me and disappearing… and suddenly say that you want me? How could I possibly?"

"Wolf, I'm not asking for a whole year," Yuuri said. "Perhaps I don't deserve a year. Either way, I only have six months to marry. I ask only for six months to win you."

"And if I still refuse?" Wolfram growled.

"I… will marry someone else and be unhappy," Yuuri replied.

Wolfram's eyes flashed.

"But it will be better to be unhappy and be near you than to be unhappy and be on Earth." Yuuri looked at him, drawing his unwilling eyes to his own.

"I'm not like I was before, Yuuri," Wolfram hissed. "_You _saw to that."

Yuuri winced. "I'm sorry that I hurt you. But you're still you, Wolf."

"Don't call me that!" Wolfram cried, then shook his head clear of the distraction with a grunt of annoyance. "I don't want to be pursued by you!"

"That's too bad, Wolfram," Yuuri barked, sitting up on his knees, "because I'm going to devote every moment we're together to wooing you, and every moment we're apart thinking of ways to convince you!"

"I'm not giving in easily!" Wolfram gritted, stepping toward him involuntarily, challenging him with his eyes.

"Then you'd better run as hard as you can," Yuuri growled, his own eyes sharp. He held to the bedpost, gripping it hard with his injured fingers and leaning in close to Wolfram's face, which was flushed with anger. "Because I'm not going to stop pursuing you until Shinou himself is knocking on the door."

Yuuri was so close, Wolfram could smell him, and, his passion being up like hackles on a dog, it was starting to affect him. Wolfram blushed against his will, spinning toward the door on the heel of his boot. He didn't know what to say. "Wimp!" he howled, stomping his foot before practically fleeing the room.

When the door was closed, Yuuri called, "Murata!"

The Sage appeared from his hiding place behind the tapestry. "Yuuri…" he laughed quietly, "that was impressive."

Yuuri ignored him. "Tell Gwendal that Wolfram is not to go on any missions away from the castle lasting more than one night. His primary mission is a guardian of the castle until I say differently."

"Yes, Heika," Murata replied, grinning, and Yuuri's face softened.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, lying back with a wince. His burst of energy was quickly waning. He sighed deeply, relaxing into his mattress. "Do you think I've got a chance, Murata?"

"Of course. He didn't torch you, did he? Besides, didn't you hear what he said?" Murata said calmly, sitting on the edge of the bed beside Yuuri. "He said… he wasn't giving in _easily_."

The young man's eyes shined. "Yeah… he did…"

============ break ============

By the time Wolfram reached his small stone room, he was a shuddering mess. He clenched one shaking hand into a fist over and over as he paced, the other tightly gripping the hilt of his sword. He alternated between growling and groaning, anger and confusion, cursing the imprudent fluttering of hope in his breast. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed a handful of feather from his desk and torched it between his fingers.

He felt unsatisfied as wisps of ashen quill floated slowly to the ground. He let his hand fall against his hip with a sigh.

_What are you going to do?_

_Yuuri wouldn't lie, would he?_

_He might to spare your feelings._

_He didn't lie about loving you before. Why would he start now?_

_Well, why would he start loving me now?_

Wolfram lay back across his cot, his sword jangling plaintively in its scabbard at being swung so suddenly horizontal.

_Do you want to believe him?_

_Yes. But I can't…_

The blond closed his eyes. _So tired._

============ break ============

AN

Thanks for reviews! Laters.


	5. Baths

Thanks for reviewing, y'all. I really appreciate it! It gives me motivation and stuff. Yeah. lol. Well, here's your next chapter. It might not be as interesting, but it's necessary to get to the good stuff. As you might have noticed, I'm also throwing in some Conrad X Yozak and Gwendal X Gunter... cuz I likes it. lol.

============= break ==============

The mood at the lunch table was light. Yuuri, already having been helped to the table by Murata to avoid the embarrassment of his weakness, had greeted all of his retainers from his seat and with tearful embraces, which Gunter had returned, Gwendal had tolerated, and Conrad had smiled at. Cheri had, as usual, pressed him unashamedly between her breasts, and Yuuri had only laughed quietly.

When they'd settled into their meal, Yuuri blushed and brought out the certificate for them to see.

"Ah, how romantic…" Gunter sighed, clutching Yuuri's annulment certificate to his breast with dreamy eyes, his lunch forgotten. "Just like August von Spitzberg."

"Ah… Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Uncle August…" Cheri sighed, swirling her drink playfully.

Yuuri cocked his head to the side. "Who?"

"Well, that's where the tradition came from. Didn't the Great Sage explain it to you?" Gunter asked reproachfully, looking across the lunch table at Murata, who was ignoring him, chewing his food with a subdued grin. Beside him, Gwendal's eyebrow twitched.

"Not really," Yuuri sighed, leaning back in his seat. He'd eaten what he could choke down of his lunch, not having much appetite, and now he was tired. From beside him, Conrad lightly brushed his hand against Yuuri's elbow to get his attention.

"I'm proud of you," Conrad said quietly, unnoticed by Gunter. Yuuri gave an embarrassed smile and looked away.

"August von Spitzberg was one of Cecilie-sama's ancestors. When his fiance presented him with an annulment certificate, he signed it upside-down in the same manner as you," the graceful retainer explained, gesturing with his white hand as he spoke. Gwendal watched him silently as he continued. "It was during a relatively peaceful time, and there wasn't much else to think about. So, for a year, bureaucrats gave their attention to the matter, arguing vehemently about whether or not the signature was legal. Well, a year passed, and they still hadn't decided, but August had already won the heart of his Lady, so the matter was academic."

"Oh, I see," Yuuri replied. He'd been listening, but in the back of his mind there'd been lingering another question.

Sighing, Gunter looked down at the certificate again. He found it didn't hurt as much as he'd thought it would. He lifted his eyes and found Gwendal's gaze fixed upon him, dark and burdensome. He blushed, looking away.

"Where's Greta?" Yuuri blurted, and everyone sat bolt upright, as if an electric shock had passed through the table. They all looked around in silence for a moment before their eyes settled on Conrad.

The brunet sighed. _Of course_. "She's all right, she's just… being educated on the Bielefeld estate."

Yuuri blinked. "Wolfram… sent her away?"

"You know, he didn't sign on to be a single father, Yuuri," Conrad said quietly, almost as if he didn't want the rest of them to hear. "He has his duties. He couldn't give her what she needed all by himself, so he did what he thought was best."

The double black bit his tongue. It wasn't as if he hadn't abandoned her unwillingly, as well. But still, to send her away? Couldn't she be educated at the castle, where she'd at least be able to _see _Wolfram from time to time?

"And… I noticed I'm being treated as if… as if I'm still the Maoh, but…" Yuuri looked uncomfortable, but the question seemed to lighten the atmosphere for everyone else.

"Well, we couldn't very well reinstall the former regent as Maoh, not after what happened," Gunter explained. "So, Cecilie-sama has graciously been ruling since you left."

Yuuri's brow raised incredulously.

"…with Gwendal's assistance."

_Ah_. Yuuri repressed a grin. Cheri gave a demure laugh.

"We are currently at work ascertaining the will of the people and of the Ten Nobles in this matter. If there is a consensus, you will be officially reinstated as Maoh. In the meantime, as far as your lifestyle, you will be treated as Maoh because you have been one."

"I see," Yuuri replied. "Then… can I make a request of you all?"

"Anything for you, Heika!"

"Please… whatever any of you might be able to do to help me… win Wolfram back…" he said, his voice shaking a little bit with nerves. It was so un-Japanese, so un-Yuuri to admit his feelings like this, but he knew that in this case, if he didn't have the courage to speak his heart, then he would be doomed to lose it.

"Of course," Gunter said, and Conrad and Gwendal nodded.

"How delightful!" Cheri cooed, then leaned conspiratorially forward with a grin. "What did my darling Wolfram say when you signed? He must have been completely shocked!"

Yuuri paled. "…Um… You could say that…"

Cheri chuckled. "My adorable Wolfie."

"So, Yuuri," Murata teased, "what _is _your next move?"

Yuuri groaned, letting his head thump down on the wooden table. "I don't _know_."

"Is it… all right if we ask _you _a question, Yuuri?" Conrad asked, and Yuuri looked at him.

"Um… I guess."

"What… _happened _to you?" the knight finally asked, and Yuuri paled, shooting a look at Murata, who'd stopped chewing and was staring back at Yuuri.

"O-Oh…" Yuuri stammered, his face flushing, "I… I was in a bad part of town. I managed to piss off a bunch of thugs. That's all…"

Conrad blinked in surprise. _He's lying._ A quick glance around the table told him that no one was fooled, but Murata looked incredibly relieved. He kept his eyes on his plate while he ate, using his food as an excuse not to look at anyone. The knight frowned.

_Murata, eh?_

"I have an idea of how to help you win Wolfram back, Yuuri," Cheri said, grinning. "But we're going to need Gwenny's help!"

Gwendal's eyebrow twitched.

============= break ==============

"What do you mean, my request is denied?" Wolfram raged, slamming his gloved fist down on Gwendal's desk. But when his eyes met Gwendal's, he swallowed and took a step back. Still, his stubborn glare remained. "You're in league with them. Everyone is conspiring against me!"

"I have agreed to make your primary duty guardian of the castle for the time being," Gwendal replied, his fingers twitching on his desk. "That means no missions longer than one night away from the castle, and no more than one a week. Therefore, your request to be sent on a remote patrol is denied. Also…"

Wolfram straightened his arms at his sides, his hands clenched into fists.

"By request of your mother, you are to take supper with Yuuri every night."

"What?"

"However, I will not require it until five days from now, to get your emotions in order, and you may have one night off a week. Also, should you call back Greta, she may permitted to attend. Of course, I will not require that you sleep in his room as before. You see, I… am not without sympathy for you in this matter."

"Sympathy?" Wolfram echoed in confusion, but his eyes softened as he realized what Gwendal meant. "Oh…"

"I am not, as you say, in league with anyone," Gwendal continued. "I also believe that after his history, you have every right to test him, provided you do so honestly. I wish also for your happiness."

Wolfram stared. This was a surprise. It had seemed to him that everyone would be working with Yuuri against him. He shook his head a little. Of course, he should have expected Gwendal to be impartial.

Gwendal stood, his figure imposing and dark against the sunny window behind him. "I have my loyalties to certain people, but you are, after all, my brother."

The blond winced. "Of course. Thank you, ani-ue."

"It may seem as though others are, as you say, conspiring, but we all wish for your happiness, and almost since the moment you met Yuuri, it has been obvious to us that he is essential to that end."

Wolfram scowled. "Just because I can't be happy without Yuuri doesn't mean that I can be happy _with _him. I learned that long ago."

"Even now, you're happier than you were when he was gone," Gwendal muttered, "though you deny it even to yourself. You must not resign yourself to lifelong misery out of stubbornness or fear."

Wolfram's hackles sprang up. He smoothed them down with a deep breath. "You're so… full of words today, brother."

"I have nothing else to say to the matter." Gwendal sat down at his desk. "You are dismissed."

Wolfram clicked his heels together and saluted before leaving.

============= break ==============

Yuuri took a deep breath through his nose, inhaling the fragrant steam of the baths he'd missed so much. After being exiled on Earth, Yuuri had taken up the hobby of visiting higher-end bathhouses, but none had ever been able to make him feel as relaxed as this one. But, he couldn't bring himself to get in.

"Yuuri…" Murata groaned. "You're heavy. Just get in!"

Yuuri was standing with his arm over Murata's shoulder, letting his friend support his weight. One foot was poised to go down the stairs into the water, but he wouldn't budge. "What about my wounds?"

"What? You don't even have any bandages on now. They're all healed."

"But…"

Murata gave a short sigh of annoyance. His breath swirled the particles of steam hovering in front of his face. "Yuuri… Shinou promised that he wouldn't send you back until six months from now."

The double black made a doubtful hum in the back of his throat.

"Oh, come on," Murata said, walking down the steps, dragging Yuuri with him. When they were in the water, Yuuri no longer needed help supporting his weight, and he sank down up to his chest, letting the water buoy him to the side where he could lean back against the wall. He gave a deep sigh, all the way from the bottom of his lungs, where it had been resting, heavy, for a long time.

"Thanks," he breathed.

"This probably isn't recommended at your level of strength. Let me know if you start to feel faint," Murata replied, taking a seat beside him. He looked at Yuuri's face; his eyes were closed, and his face was flushing from the heat.

It was good to see some real color in Yuuri's face again. Murata winced. It was his fault, after all.

"Yuuri, I'm… sorry."

The black eyes popped open, and he tilted his head to the side to look at Murata. "Hm?"

"I almost got you killed, you know."

"It wasn't your fault," Yuuri said.

"But-"

"It. Wasn't. Your. Fault," he insisted, closing his eyes again. "Let's not talk about it anymore."

"I don't think they believed your story."

"Well, maybe they'll take a hint and leave it alone," Yuuri said, his voice laced with amusement. Murata took the 'hint' and shut his mouth. But his eyes still showed his doubt.

_Yuuri… I'm afraid this might not go away as easily as we want it to. Didn't he notice they were using maryoku?_

"Do you think you'll be able to sleep here? In Shin Makoku, I mean," Murata asked, and Yuuri opened his eyes again.

"Well, I have been so far."

"You've been very weak, though."

Yuuri sighed. "We'll see."

============= break ==============

Wolfram's eyebrow twitched. "Yuuri, Yuuri, Yuuri!" he grumbled into his ale. "That's all I've been hearing about all day long!"

"Shh!" Yozak chuckled, looking at the fiery demon. It was strange seeing him with brown hair, temporarily dyed because he was too recognizable otherwise. He and Wolfram had been assigned to listen to rumors in the town around the castle, trying to ascertain how the citizens felt about Shibuya's return. It hadn't taken long for them to hear about it.

Yozak had only let them wander about the streets for a little while before taking them to the tavern, where everyone went for local gossip.

"How do we know he wouldn't just disappear again?" a middle-aged man muttered. "He did a good job, but he was always going off to that other world!"

"He needs to settle down," his older companion said. "If that von Bielefeld wasn't enough to hold onto him, maybe he needs to find someone who can keep him here."

Yozak looked at Wolfram, but the demon was expert at hiding his reaction. He'd probably prepared himself mentally for such things to be said.

"Why do you think he came back, anyway?"

"Who knows?"

"I heard he got beat up and almost died."

"What? No way. He's way too strong for that!"

Wolfram gave a silent convulsion of laughter into his mug, splashing ale up on his face. Still repressing a grin, he wiped his sleeve across his mouth. "What? That wimp…" he murmured, and Yozak kicked him in the foot to shut him up. He glanced around, but no one seemed to have had heard him over the general chatter. He stood, taking Wolfram's collar and pulling him up.

Wolfram swatted at him. "Hey, quit!"

"You've had a bit too much this early in the evening, my friend," Yozak said a little too loudly, slapping him across the shoulder. "Let's head back."

The demon scowled at Yozak but followed him out, affecting a small stumble to back up the presumptuous spy's story. But when they were out on the street, Wolfram gave him an indignant glower.

"You're not suited for this work," Yozak said with a sly smile. "You're not very discreet. A cunning observer would instantly know what you were up to."

"Well, I'm not trained at spying," Wolfram grumbled. "I'm a fighter."

"I know," Yozak sighed. "But anyway, it sounds about the same as reports we're getting from other places. People might be all right with Yuuri _if _they could be assured that he would never leave again."

"They're tired of their king being suddenly snatched away and brought back unpredictably," Wolfram agreed.

"Do _you _think he intends to stay?" Yozak asked, and Wolfram blushed, looking away.

"He told me so." Wolfram's fingers fiddled with the hilt of his sword. "He's a wimp, but I believe that, at least."

"Oh, really?"

"He told me to dispose of his wallat."

"Wallat? What's that?"

"Never mind," Wolfram sighed.

"Anyway, don't your… enforced _dates_ begin in a couple of days?" Yozak teased as they walked through the market district, heading up the hill toward the castle.

"Does your boyfriend tell you _everything_?" Wolfram hissed. _Three days. Four… before Greta arrives._

Yozak grinned. "Everyone knows about them."

The demon's face tightened. "Of course they do."

The redhead just smiled a little. Wolfram looked askance at him.

"Aren't you going to tell me I should just give in?" Wolfram pressed.

"Nah," Yozak replied. "Anyone can see you two belong together. If you both just act like yourselves, it's inevitable for you to end up in each other's arms."

_That's what everyone thought before, too._

Wolfram growled in his throat. "How silly of me. For a minute I thought you weren't going to say anything bothersome."

"The only thing I can't figure out is… which one of you is ending up on top?" Yozak snickered.

The mission ended abruptly when the fireball that erupted at the end of Market Street blew their cover.

============= break ==============

Gunter sighed at the small thread of smoke thinning in the air above the town. The sun was setting, and the late afternoon breeze was quickly dispersing the evidence of what he presumed to be Wolfram's outburst. He knew that he and Yozak were in town working together today, and he was surprised that Wolfram had lasted that long.

His attention was drawn to the colors in the sky, which were darkening quickly from lilac to a deeper purple. He thought about Yuuri.

Yuuri had matured in the time he'd been gone. They'd missed him, and he had missed them, but perhaps there had still been things he'd needed to learn on his own world.

Boldly, Gunter experimented with thinking about Yuuri loving Wolfram, prodding the place in his heart where there should have been a wound.

_Why doesn't it hurt like it used to?_

_Perhaps… it was just infatuation?_

"I'm too old for that kind of thing…" Gunter said, but it came out quiet and doubtful even to his own ears. He blushed when an image of Gwendal's dark eyes flashed across his mind, and he thought about all the times he'd caught Gwendal watching him. He was seeing the mazoku in a new light, and it was strange.

How long had Gwendal been watching him with those eyes, and he hadn't noticed? From what he had said, it seemed as though it had been at least since Yuuri had been in Shin Makoku before.

_"Couldn't you notice someone else for a change?"_

Gunter shuddered, wrapping his arms around himself. He wouldn't mind terribly if Gwendal had tried something like that again… just to see how he'd react when he wasn't so shocked.

The mazoku sighed again. Gwendal wasn't the type to try something like that twice, though. He'd revealed himself and been rebuffed, if unintentionally. He wasn't likely to impose on Gunter by trying again.

Gunter rose and went to prepare for his evening bath.

When Gunter arrived at the baths, he found a few people already there, but the steam still left a little privacy, and none of them seemed too chatty, so he stepped into the water without hesitation. He knelt in the water to half-swim to a spot he'd picked along the wall, but as soon as he'd turned around to put his back to it, he saw Gwendal across the way, doing his best not to look at Gunter.

"Gwendal…" he said, and the dark demon started to stand.

"I'll leave," Gwendal replied in his deep voice, but Gunter laughed nervously, moving toward him.

"Don't be silly," he replied.

_What am I doing? Why am I moving toward him?_

_Wouldn't you normally?_

_Yes, but now… He looks so uncomfortable, too._

But turning back now would only be more awkward, so Gunter took a seat near him. Gwendal still didn't look at him. Gunter took the opportunity presented and looked at Gwendal like he never had before, admiring his strong shoulders and chest. How did he find time to maintain those muscles?

_He knows that I know he's attracted to me, and he doesn't want to make me uncomfortable by looking at me._

_Do I address this openly… or pretend it never happened?_

"Good evening, Gwendal," Gunter said.

"Good evening," he replied. His brow seemed tense.

"Stressful day?"

"Hn."

Gunter repressed a small laugh, covering his mouth with his hand, but Gwendal noticed and allowed himself to look at Gunter curiously.

"It isn't necessary to behave differently around me," Gunter said. He put his hands under the water so Gwendal couldn't see them start to shake; he'd realized that he was inching closer to Gwendal, wanting to touch him, and the sudden desire had startled him.

"I took a liberty," Gwendal insisted, turning his eyes away again, and Gunter's brow bent in frustration. He lifted his hand and put it under Gwendal's chin, turning his face back toward him.

The eyes that Gwendal showed him made Gunter's stomach flutter nervously. They were tempestuous and searching, reacting to the soft hand on his face. It was as if Gwendal were showing Gunter how he felt, challenging him to stick to his words with the intensity of his attraction. Gunter didn't move, though he was sure his eyes showed how startled he was. Gwendal reached up to cup his hand around Gunter's neck, gently stroking the smooth white flesh beneath Gunter's ear with his thumb.

Gunter gasped, shuddering, and Gwendal took his hand away. He started again to leave, but Gunter grasped his wrist, and he froze.

"Gwendal," he said softly, "you're quiet, but you… know how to make someone notice you." He turned his doe-like eyes up to the man, who stared at him in confusion for a moment before leaning in close.

Gwendal murmured in his ear, "If you make those eyes at me again, it had better be somewhere more private, and you'd better be prepared for what happens."

Gunter blushed deeply as Gwendal twisted from his grip and left.

When Gwendal was gone, Gunter settled against the wall with a sigh.

_What was I doing?_

============= break ==============

AN

Oh, my, Gunter! What are you getting yourself into? XD


	6. Dreams

Hello, again! Shout-outs! Thank yall so much for reviews. Hopefully this chapter will be a little more interesting.

StandingOnTheRooftops: lol yeah he probably is. they deserve a little happiness too, don't they? XD

nsomniacartist: yeah, me too! but it's also annoying when it goes on forever. there's, like, a happy medium or something, right?

nevynwatcher: zomg some answers in this chapter!

============== break ==============

Yuuri had spent almost the entire week in his own rooms, recovering, and it had been easy for Wolfram to avoid him. But the day had finally come that Wolfram would be forced to see him.

Yuuri was stronger now and could walk on his own, though he wasn't allowed to try to leave his room, which meant he was pacing back and forth while the servants got the table ready for supper. Murata snickered at him from the corner.

"Don't laugh…" Yuuri grumbled.

"You'd better sit down or you're going to lose your strength before you even finish eating. You wouldn't want Wolfram to have to do all the work afterwards, would you?" Murata teased, and Yuuri blinked in confusion for a moment before blushing and throwing the first thing his hand found at Murata's face.

The pillow bounced harmlessly off Murata's chest.

"Perv…" Yuuri muttered.

The door opened, and Wolfram came in at attention. He'd cleaned up and was wearing his dress uniform. The double black breathed an invisible sigh of relief. He'd been afraid Wolfram might not come, and he was glad that he'd guessed correctly about what to wear. After what Wolfram had tried the first day, calling him 'Your Majesty,' Yuuri had thought that Wolfram might try to hide behind formality, and he'd dressed up nicely, too, in anticipation of the tactic.

Wolfram had meant it to be a distant, formal affair, but Yuuri's specific requests for a small table and candles had added a touch of intimacy that the blond's attire could not overwhelm. The fact that Yuuri had also dressed nicely showed Wolfram that he was fighting fire with fire.

"Wolfram," Yuuri said, smiling and dusting himself off. It was only nerves; he wasn't dirty. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course," Wolfram replied. "I never disobey an order."

Yuuri didn't hide his wince. He looked at Murata. "Thanks, Murata. I'll see you later."

The Sage bowed and walked out, surprisingly silent. Bowing slightly, Yuuri gestured to the table, where the candles were already glowing. The double black's smile was awkward and sweet, but Wolfram's anger at being forced to come here was unaffected. Still, he did as he was told and went to sit at the table.

Yuuri sat across from him at the small rectangular table. He bit his lip awkwardly.

_He smells so good… Does he do that to torture me?_

"Wolfram, I… want you to know this was your mother's idea."

"I'm sure," Wolfram replied coldly.

"I didn't want to force you to come here, but on the other hand, I knew if I didn't do something you would only avoid me, and how could I prove how I feel if I can never see you?" Yuuri blurted, then shrank back timidly. "So… I'm going to be selfish in this one thing, okay?"

Wolfram looked at him with steely green eyes from under his bangs. "I'm not afraid to have dinner with you, Yuuri."

The young man sighed in relief, though he knew Wolfram still hated being forced into it. His thoughts were interrupted when Wolfram tossed his hair restlessly with his fingers, and the candlelight glinted in his golden locks. The double black sighed, wishing he could run his fingers through that soft mane.

But the question weighing heaviest on Yuuri's mind was itching to get out. He was terrified to ask it, mostly because he knew Wolfram would not lie to him. He opened his mouth, hesitating only a moment.

_You've got to be bold, Yuuri._

"Of course, there's no need for any of this if… if you… don't love me anymore."

The blond's brilliant green eyes flashed. "How dare you?"

Yuuri's eyes widened. "I'm… sorry?"

"Do you think I would debase myself like I did for someone I could just forget about?" Wolfram growled. "I would marry you in an instant if I didn't love you, you idiot!" The demon grumbled, looking away. "Who wouldn't marry a Maoh?"

"I'm sorry. You understand, I wouldn't want to make you suffer unnecessarily."

Wolfram wouldn't look at him. "I'm sure you never wanted to, but you did anyway," he muttered, too low for Yuuri to hear.

"There's… one more thing I want to get out of the way," Yuuri said, his voice shaking a little.

Wolfram sighed in annoyance. "What is it?"

"_Greta_," he pressed, unexpected tears crowding the edges of his eyes. "Greta, Wolfram. Please…"

Wolfram frowned, picking up his glass of wine and staring into it before taking a heavy gulp. Yuuri's tears shimmering in the candlelight somewhat diminished the blond's meticulously maintained anger.

"I sent for her after you told me to burn your wallat," Wolfram said quietly, affecting a stony edge in his voice. He swirled his drink in his glass, reminding Yuuri briefly of his mother. "She'll be here tomorrow. She knows you're here, of course. You understand I couldn't send for her until I was sure you were staying."

Yuuri blinked, wiping his sleeve unashamedly across his eyes. "Of course. But… why did you send her away?"

"I couldn't be there for her," Wolfram answered as the first course of their meal was brought to them. He shut his mouth again until the servants were gone.

"But to send her so far away-"

"She reminded me of you!" Wolfram snarled. "I didn't… know what to _do _with her without you, Yuuri! You're the one who held us together, you know…"

"I'm… sorry," Yuuri said quietly. It still seemed like no excuse to toss her aside, but he didn't want to be insensitive to Wolfram's feelings.

"It's not as if I never see her," Wolfram said quietly. "I go back to the estate once a month, and she comes here once between my visits." He sighed, resting his chin on his fist. "But all she ever talks about is you."

"I'm sorry," Yuuri sighed again.

"Stop saying that, you Wimp," Wolfram groaned. He wiped his hand across his eyes as if to clear his mind before looking at Yuuri with a strangely critical eye. Yuuri, who had been eating a spoonful of potato soup, froze.

"What?"

"What _really _happened to you, Yuuri?"

The double black swallowed hard. "W-What?"

"Who tried to kill you?"

"Oh, I don't think they were really trying to kill me," Yuuri blurted carelessly, then closed his mouth.

"Are you going to lie to me, too, Yuuri?" Wolfram's eyes sparkled with challenge. "I heard about the lie you fed to the others. Is it going to be the same with me?"

Yuuri took a deep breath, looking down at his bowl and back up again. His eyes showed determination that wiped the smirk off Wolfram's face. The blond sat up, listening sincerely.

"I'm not going to give you ammunition by lying," Yuuri replied. "But look, Wolfram, I didn't tell that lie for my own sake. There's someone else whose feelings I have to consider in this."

"What does Murata have to do with it?" Wolfram asked, frowning.

Yuuri blinked. "How did you…?"

"It has to be Murata, Yuuri," Wolfram sighed incredulously. "You really are an idiot. Who else could have been with you there to be affected by it, and be here too to be affected if you tell us?"

"Well…" Yuuri continued, "that may be true, but I still can't tell you what happened. It's not my secret to give out."

"You say that as if nothing happened to you," Wolfram answered, eyes narrow in bewilderment, "as if you weren't there." He scowled. "Can't you think about how _we _feel? We were all charged with protecting you, me most of all, and you suddenly showed up in my bedroom, bleeding to death. Don't you understand how awful that was? We want to know what happened that we couldn't protect you from!"

Yuuri's mouth hung open a little. "I… I'm sorry, but it's over now. Please… try to forget about it."

Wolfram looked down with a sigh of annoyance, then blinked. The next course, a salad, had materialized without him noticing, and he hadn't even touched his soup. "Forget about it," he grumbled, disbelievingly repeating Yuuri's ridiculous request.

"I'm sorry I made you worry," Yuuri said softly, and Wolfram looked up to see him smiling gently.

The blond glowered. "I told you to stop saying that."

Yuuri laughed. "It's hard! … I screw up so much…"

"Oh, shut up."

"Hey," Yuuri said, still smiling, "will you tell me when it's all right for me to tell you… that thing you told me not to say?"

Wolfram blinked for a moment before blushing. _Does he mean… 'I love you?' _He put on a scowl. "Idiot."

"I'll take that as a yes."

Wolfram stood, planting his hands on the wooden table. He stared with dark eyes out from under his bangs. "Yuuri…" he said quietly, "this isn't going to work."

"I know," Yuuri groaned, misunderstanding, rubbing his forehead. "But I've got to start somewhere. Will you bear with me until I figure out how I can show you that I l-l-l…" He bit his tongue. "You know."

"Excuse me?" Wolfram gasped incredulously.

_After all the time I waited for you?_

Frustration boiling in his eyes, Wolfram scoffed loudly, tossing his hair like a defiant steed and heading for the exit.

"Wolfram, wait!" Yuuri cried, standing and following him, but his legs wobbled, and he staggered. "Whoa!" Yuuri's knees buckled, dropping him to the floor. "Damn!" Murata had been right; he'd wasted energy pacing and fidgeting before Wolfram's arrival. He looked up, but Wolfram was already gone.

"What just happened?"

The double black sat back on his haunches, rubbing his knees, which had hit the stone floor hard. He listened to the silent room, wondering what had gone wrong. When the maids came, unknowing, to bring in the third course, they found Yuuri sitting there, and they looked at each other without speaking. Yuuri blushed, but the pair said nothing, and their eyes showed neither pity nor reproach as they set the food on the table so they could help him into bed.

Yuuri thanked them robotically, staring up at the canopy of his bed, his limbs sprawled. He heard, rather than saw, them bow as they said goodnight, their dresses rustling noisily in the otherwise quiet room. The door clicked closed.

_"This isn't going to work."_

Yuuri reached up to rub his aching forehead.

_What did he really mean?_

============== break ==============

In his bed, Gwendal sat staring at the mass of knotted yarn in his palms. He couldn't remember what he'd been knitting. At first he'd thought it had been a bear, but he'd apparently already put a long tail on the body, and even _his _bears didn't have long tails.

It was because his mind kept straying to Gunter.

The mazoku sighed deeply, closing his eyes, trying to clear his mind. All he could think of was Gunter, naked in the baths, touching his face, the feel of his throat against his fingers. He'd lost control, then, daring him almost angrily with his eyes to keep teasing him. He wished he hadn't. Gunter had withdrawn like a frightened rabbit.

Perhaps the animal had been becoming a rabbit? He held up the yarn again.

_Oh, no. The tail._

Gwendal sighed again, squeezing his eyes shut. Gunter had smelled so good.

_Why couldn't I leave well enough alone? _he thought.

But Gwendal knew he couldn't have. When they had been talking about Yuuri's plans to contest Wolfram's annulment request, Conrad had said that if Yuuri didn't have the guts to confess to Wolfram, then he didn't deserve him. Gwendal was almost certain that Conrad didn't know of Gwendal's love for Gunter, but it had felt as if the knight's words had been aimed at him like an arrow, piercing his heart. After that, he couldn't have kept silent.

_This was the risk you took. This awkwardness…_

Why had Gunter reacted that way? Gwendal shook his head. The beautiful advisor must have been confused to be sending out such mixed signals. But confusion was better than outright rejection. There was still hope. It would be frustrating for a while, but one way or the other, Gunter would make a decision. He wasn't the type to let something fester for years, like Yuuri.

The dark demon repressed a small grin. He set his work on his nightstand and blew out his candle to sleep. As he lay down, he tried to decide whether or not to hope for dreams of Gunter.

============== break ==============

Murata was at a loss. For once, he had no wit to display, no smirk on his face. His back was pressed into the brick wall of the alley, slick with grimy rainwater.

"What do you want?" he demanded, his voice high-pitched with the fear he'd hoped to hide. This was different than high school bullies on the soccer field. Knives were glinting in the hands of the three men blocking his exit, their shadows obscuring their faces and falling a long way in the orange glow of the streetlight.

"If I remember correctly," the tallest thug teased, "it was you who came looking for us."

The man started moving forward, his shadow striking the wall and sliding up it to cover Ken completely.

Murata gasped, his eyes opening on a black ceiling. The smell of lavender, of his bedroom in Shin Makoku, relieved his panic.

_That dream again._

He swallowed, trying to coat the dry back of his throat, but he couldn't. He sat up, feeling with a shaking hand for his glasses on the nightstand. When he put them on and looked out the window, he could see dawn turning the eastern sky a dim grayish purple. As he took his cup of stale, lukewarm water from the nightstand, he wondered whether or not he should go back to sleep.

The water running down his throat felt cooler than he'd anticipated, and it made him sigh in relief.

_Maybe I'll go see if Shibuya is awake._

Murata put on his robe and some house shoes, grabbing a candle before heading to Yuuri's room. When he got there, the guards were surprised to see a half-awake Great Sage shuffling past in practically his pajamas, but they said nothing as he walked boldly through the door.

The Sage grinned, the heavy mood from his nightmare dissipating. Yuuri was asleep, sprawled on his back sideways across his bed, still in his formalwear. His blanket wasn't even wrinkled.

"You're going to catch a cold sleeping that way," Murata sighed, and Yuuri twitched. He groaned groggily as his eyes opened. Suddenly, he gasped, turning on his side.

"Who's there?" he hissed.

"It's me," Ken laughed quietly.

"What's wrong?" Yuuri asked, wincing as he moved his stiff body up to a more natural position.

"Nothing."

"Then why are you here at this time of night?"

Murata blinked. "Well… it is _almost _dawn…"

Yuuri's eyes softened. "Murata…"

_What am I supposed to do? Tell you I had a nightmare and crawl into bed with you like a child?_

Murata sighed. "We've got to… tell them what happened."

The double black frowned. "Why?"

"Didn't you notice they were using maryoku?" Murata asked, going to sit in the chair beside the bed, setting down his candle.

"So?"

"They were demons… trying to kill you."

Yuuri hummed doubtfully. "I'm pretty sure I wasn't their target, Murata. You're the one who…" He cut himself off, blushing.

"Look, Yuuri… we were watching this happen from different angles, you know."

"Will you just spit it out, for once?" Yuuri groaned, rubbing his forehead. "It's way too early for this."

The Great Sage sighed again, settling back into his seat and staring at the dark wall on the other side of the room, watching the shadows flicker in the dancing candlelight. "When you found me, I was already… being attacked, but the situation wasn't necessarily… random."

Yuuri frowned.

"You see, I'd heard that… someone was asking around after you, trying to find you, and I sort of took it upon myself to… seek them out first."

"Murata!" Yuuri cried, sitting up. "Why the hell would you do that?"

The Sage laughed quietly. "I don't know. It just seemed so much like old times, I sort of treated it like I would have in the past." He reached up to fiddle with a stray lock of hair. "Anyway, I obviously found them. But my point is, Yuuri, that they were mazoku… on Earth… looking for you, and judging from what happened, they probably meant to kill you."

"But why? I had nothing more to do with… this place…"

Murata shrugged. "That I don't know." He leaned forward. "Tell me how it went with Wolfram last night."

Yuuri groaned, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, and Murata sighed.

"That well, huh?"

============== break ==============

Murata grimaced. His body was stiff. A female laughed quietly, and his eyes popped open.

"Gisela…" Murata said as the green-haired lady leaned back away from him. Murata realized he'd fallen asleep in the chair next to Yuuri's bed. The sun was now pouring strong golden light through the windows.

"Good morning, Geika," she said, then turned to Yuuri, who was still lying in the same position, on top of his blankets in his clothes. "Some maids told me that Yuuri lost his strength last night, so I wanted to check on him."

At hearing his name, Yuuri's eyes opened, blinking wearily. His sleep had not been deep or very restful. Murata frowned; it was the same look he'd seen in Yuuri's face a lot back on Earth. The Sage shifted in his seat. He and Yuuri must have fallen back asleep where they were after talking.

"How are you feeling today?" Gisela asked, going to sit on the edge of the bed. She put her hand on his wrist, measuring his temperature and his heartbeat with her fingertips. "You shouldn't have slept like that, you know."

"I didn't do it on purpose," Yuuri said, blinking until the light began to creep back up into his eyes. It wasn't that he was faking, but it took him a moment to put away the darkness and let his natural cheer shine through.

"You didn't answer my question," Gisela said, and Yuuri blinked sleepily.

"Oh. I feel all right, I guess. Better than yesterday morning."

"Can you stand?"

"I think so."

"Try."

The young man sighed but humored her, standing easily, though with a wince or two. But he shook his limbs loose and held his hands out to the side demonstratively. "See?"

Gisela smiled. "Good. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, thank you. You've been wonderful, Gisela," Yuuri said, giving her a smile. She returned it and bowed.

"Then I shall take my leave."

"Why don't you have breakfast with us?" Yuuri suggested.

"O-Oh… very well, then."

While the maids got breakfast ready, Yuuri cleaned up and changed in the other room. When he came out, he blinked in surprise. Somehow, breakfast with Murata and Gisela had turned into breakfast with everyone. A large, round portable table had been brought in in pieces and set up in the middle of his bedroom. The only one absent was Gwendal.

"Good morning, all…" Yuuri said, noting that Cheri-sama's hand was on Wolfram's arm and wasn't letting go. Wolfram kept his face turned pointedly away. "I'm delighted to… join you all for breakfast."

Everyone sat down quickly, leaving only the chair to Yuuri's right empty. Wolfram glared at his mother but sat there anyway.

"Good morning, Wolfram," Yuuri said, and Wolfram muttered a reply. Yuuri smiled. "Do we know what time to expect Greta?"

Gunter and Cecilie, who hadn't known of Greta's arrival, gasped. Cecilie exclaimed, "Oh, finally! My darling Greta!"

Wolfram ignored her. "Sometime just past midday, I believe," he answered without looking up from his glass. The servants were bringing in breakfast, and it gave him something to pretend to look at so he could ignore Yuuri, but the double black wouldn't leave him alone.

"Oh, I can't wait!" Yuuri said, smiling brightly. "It's been so long! Maybe we can go riding…"

"No way!" Gisela and Murata cried in unison, and everyone stiffened in surprise at the outburst. Gisela and Murata looked at each other, then at Yuuri.

"The maids had to carry you to your bed last night, Shibuya," Murata said, jabbing him in the ribs with his elbow. "Do you think you can ride a horse for any length of time?"

Yuuri blushed, stealing a half-glance at Wolfram, who was sitting perfectly still, frozen with guilt and surprise… and a little invisible jealousy. In the past he would have shouted, 'Cheater!' and summoned a few flames, just to scare the kid. The memory made Wolfram's heart ache a little, but he didn't show it. After all, it was now Wolfram who was renouncing his claim to Yuuri.

"Shut up, Murata," Yuuri hissed, returning his jab, but the blow glanced harmlessly off his arm. "I'm much better today."

"If you can make it all day without needing support from anyone, I'll release you to go riding tomorrow," Gisela said, and Yuuri nodded with a sigh.

"Very well."

Breakfast was finished quickly, accompanied by bright chatter, though Yuuri and Wolfram were quieter. Yuuri kept looking at Wolfram, unable to take his eyes off him for too long, and Wolfram kept dodging his glance, refusing to meet it. The double black frowned at Murata more than once, confusing the Sage who usually prided himself on knowing what Yuuri was thinking at all times.

When breakfast was done, everything was cleared away, and Yuuri announced that he was going to dress for the day. Everyone left courteously except for Murata, for Yuuri had grabbed his elbow as he'd turned to leave. Once everyone was gone, Yuuri's frown deepened.

"Why did you do that?" Yuuri asked, heading for his closet.

"Do what?"

"Were you trying to make Wolfram feel bad for last night? It wasn't his fault. I didn't conserve my strength properly."

"Oh, _that_. Yuuri, I just didn't want you to get hurt. Riding a horse is more dangerous than walking, you know. What if you fell off?"

Yuuri sighed as he changed clothes. "I guess I just didn't like seeing that look on his face."

But Murata was right; he felt strong enough to walk around, but riding was probably too much of a risk. He wouldn't want to get hurt in front of Greta, especially.

"Greta!" he said with a smile, remembering suddenly that she would be home in just a few hours. But his smile faltered as he remembered the way Wolfram was acting. Certainly, his leaving would have hurt her, too. "I wonder if she'll be happy to see me…" He shook his head clear. "I'm sure she will! By the way, Murata..."

"Hm?"

"I'll be telling Wolfram what happened, soon. I think I should."

Murata nodded, his gut giving a twinge of shame. "All right."

"Do you want to be there?"

"Noooo," Murata insisted, shaking his head. He grinned unconvincingly. "I do not."

============== break ==============

AN

Thanks! Reviewers will receive karmic credits toward better future lives!


	7. Flashback: Earth

Short update is short. Wanted to do it last night, but upload kept timing out. Lame!

====== FLASHBACK ======

Murata was watching Yuuri, who had been staring into space for a long time. The steam surrounding them felt like a curtain, but it did not obscure them from the view of the others inhabiting the Japanese bathhouse. Some of them had noticed the box taped to Yuuri's chest, but Murata didn't really mind. What was making him frown was the way Yuuri was acting.

The ex-Maoh was distracted, his eyes fluttering occasionally closed as if he were trying to shut something out. He hadn't said one word to Murata since they'd settled into their corner of the hot water. It wouldn't have been so bad if this weren't a regular occurrence, but moods like this had been showing up more and more in his friend.

The Sage's frown deepened. He felt like he'd been watching Yuuri slowly deteriorate for some time, and worry had settled like a stone at the base of his throat.

Taking a deep breath, Ken cleared his brow, putting on a teasing voice. "Yuuuriiiii~"

Yuuri startled, banging the back of his head on the cement wall. He hissed, rubbing the sore spot with his hand.

Beside him, Murata chuckled. "Everyone is looking at you with that box taped to your chest."

Yuuri blushed and passed his gaze over the others in the bathhouse. It was true; some of them were looking.

"If anyone asks, I'll tell them it's a medical device," he replied with a flat voice. He sighed as he looked at the unimpressive though large bathhouse, made of concrete and blue tile. He'd picked up the habit of enjoying bathing while in Shin Makoku, but this bathhouse did not compare, and neither did the company.

It wasn't that he didn't like Murata, but bathing made him miss Wolfram more than ever. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine that Wolfram was sitting beside him quietly, but the smell was all wrong.

"Oi, Yuuri!"

Yuuri startled again, opening his eyes to look at Murata sheepishly.

"Are you about to pass out in the bath?" he asked, half-joking, and grabbed Yuuri by the shoulder.

"I'm fine," Yuuri grumbled, pushing his hand away.

"Hey, when are you going to tell me what that box is?" Ken pressed, settling back into his spot beside Yuuri.

Yuuri looked down at the place where the flat black box, wrapped in plastic, was stuck over his heart with white waterproof medical tape. He sighed deeply. "Not here." He tried to slip lower into the bath, but Murata, sensing that he might get answers, grabbed him by the elbow and dragged him up out of the bath.

"Hey!" the double black protested, but let himself be led out. Murata dressed as quickly as possible in the steamy changing room. Yuuri followed, stubbornly dressing at a normal pace while Murata waited. When he was finally decent, Ken gripped his elbow again and pulled him out onto the dark sidewalk. But they had only walked for one block when Yuuri dug in his heels.

"What's the rush?" Yuuri demanded, pulling his elbow away, and Murata sighed, stepping up close to him.

"I'm worried about you, Shibuya," he said quietly, nudging him into the alley beside them with a hand on his shoulder. "Since coming back from Shin Makoku, you haven't been the same. You've been wearing that box non-stop for months now, and you won't tell even mewhat it is. You don't sleep, which makes you get sick all the time. You hardly ever want to play baseball. And if you lose concentration even for a minute, your eyes get… dark."

"My eyes have always been black, Murata," Yuuri sighed.

"You _know _what I mean."

Yuuri said nothing, letting his head hang a little. The darkness that Murata was talking about started to cover his eyes. It was a sadness that Ken would never have thought Yuuri capable of without something hugely traumatic happening to him, like when he'd thought Conrad had betrayed him so long ago.

"Murata, I'm so tired," he sighed. "I can't… sleep without him."

Murata bent his arms up to cover his stomach, cradling his elbows in his hands. "This is about Wolfram…" he realized.

"Yes. I…" He shook his head, tears tickling the edges of his eyes. "At first, it wasn't so bad. I guess I was in denial. I started to realize I was thinking about Wolfram all the time, missing him. A couple of times, I forgot we were apart, and I tried to talk to him only to realize he wasn't there. When that happened, it… hurt." Yuuri sighed, blushing. "My bed is too cold and quiet. I feel small and vulnerable in it. When I do sleep, I open my eyes expecting to see him, and he's not there. Wherever I go, there's… an empty spot beside me where he should be."

Murata's eyes widened a little. "You fell in love with him?"

_Yuuri admitted to himself that he loves Wolfram?_

Yuuri's blush deepened. "Yeah," he whispered.

"Oh, Yuuri…"

Yuuri turned away, embarrassed.

"But what's that box?"

"O-Oh…" Yuuri smiled a little, sadly. "That's… just in case." He raised his head. "You don't have to worry about me, Murata." His smile was a little more convincing, now. "I'll be all right. I just have to adjust. Besides, if Wolfram could put up with unrequited love, then… so can I."

"But it's not unrequited," Murata protested, following Yuuri as the young man started moving down the street. He froze again to reply.

"Might as well be, now. I can't… can't…"

Murata caught up and put his hand on Yuuri's shoulder, looking at his face with softly inquiring eyes.

With his tears shimmering in the streetlights, Yuuri laughed quietly. "I can't finish my sentence." He looked at Murata, putting his hand over the place on his chest where his box was hiding under his shirt. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

Ken looked away. "Living with hope is painful, but your heart belongs to you. It's up to you to decide when… or if… to let go of that pain." He turned his eyes back to Yuuri. "Just don't let it eat you up, okay? There are people that care about you here." He tightened his grip on Yuuri's shoulder. "Don't shut me out like that anymore."

Yuuri laughed, dashing the tears from his eyes with the back of his wrist. "Okay."

====== end ======

Hope to update for real soonish.


	8. Greta

Hello, again!

aoshi139, StandingOnTheRooftops: thanks!

rinoakim: here ya go! Lol

HARPG0: thanks. Very helpful review!

Miyuki Meiru: I hope so too! :p

nsomniacartist: maybe. We'll see!

========== break ==========

"She's coming!" Yuuri said, smiling uncontrollably as he walked up beside Wolfram. Greta's caravan had been sighted from the lookout's parapet, and Yuuri and the others were outside in the courtyard, waiting to meet her. Yuuri was trying to be still, not wanting to waste his energy like he had the day before, but it was hard not to fidget.

"Wolfram?" Yuuri called, grasping the shoulder of the blond's uniform.

"What?"

"I want to go riding tomorrow, but it's hard not to pace…" he complained, and Wolfram growled. He reached up to grab Yuuri's fingers and peel them off his clothes, but instead of pushing him away, Wolfram gripped his hand tightly at his side.

"Be still!" he hissed.

Yuuri froze, looking down at the hand holding his. His heart raced, but he made his body calm down.

_He's holding my hand._

Yuuri squeezed back, almost giddy as Greta's caravan finally entered the front gates. Tears pricked at his eyes as he saw Greta scrambling to get down from a horse she shared with an adult woman, and when her feet touched the ground she started running toward him. The double black glanced briefly at Wolfram to see that his eyes were gentle. He let go of Yuuri's hand.

The young Maoh didn't want to chance using too much energy, so he didn't run to meet her like he wanted, but he got down on his knees and held his arms out welcomingly.

"Yuuri!" Greta wailed, diving into his arms.

"Greta…" Yuuri whispered, unable to trust his voice. A few tears slipped out of his eyes as he squeezed Greta tightly. "I missed you so much!"

"I thought… I'd never… see you… again!" Greta sobbed. Yuuri marveled at how she'd grown in three years. She was so much taller, and her voice was a little deeper. Her face had thinned out a little, having lost a bit of baby fat. But her hair was the same.

"I know. I'm sorry," Yuuri said. "But this time I'm here to stay. Shinou promised."

Greta pulled away a little, looking at his face and wiping tears away with her wrist. "Are you hurt, Yuuri?"

"Hurt?" Yuuri repeated. Who had been telling Greta stories and making her worry?

"They said you got hurt and I shouldn't hug you too hard or tire you out!"

"Oh… well… I did get hurt just a little, but I'm better now," he reassured her. "You can hug me as hard as you want!"

"Good afternoon, Greta…" Wolfram said quietly as he knelt beside Yuuri.

"Papa," she said, reaching out for him, and Wolfram hugged her tightly, then pulled back to kiss her forehead. "I missed you too, you know."

"I know," she said. "I missed you, too." She looked from Yuuri to Wolfram and back again. "Yuuri, are you going to marry Papa this time?"

Wolfram felt like a bolt of lightning shot up his spine. But Yuuri seemed to have been expecting this question.

"I want to, but he is mad at me for leaving," Yuuri said.

"Yuuri!" Wolfram gasped, standing over them.

"I'm just letting her know how it is."

"Papa, why are you mad at Yuuri?"

Wolfram tensed, his hands clenched into fists. He wanted to storm away like he usually did, but he didn't want to hurt Greta by running away from her when she'd just arrived. He took a few deep breaths before speaking very quietly.

"I'm angry because Yuuri lied to me," Wolfram said, and Yuuri listened carefully. "He didn't mean to, really, but he did. And I think he's lying by mistake again, so marrying him might be a bad idea. But we're still your fathers, and we still love you, and we can still all live together like before, okay?"

Greta's eyes showed she understood more than Yuuri had expected. She said, "Okay…"

"Greta," Yuuri said, "would you like to go out riding tomorrow?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "Can Papa come too?"

"Of course," Yuuri answered, looking at Wolfram, but the blond made no protest.

"It's so nice to see you again, Heika," a familiar lady's voice said, and Yuuri looked up. Anissina smiled, continuing, "You have grown up, haven't you?"

"Anissina!" Yuuri said, standing to greet her.

"She's been Greta's full-time tutor," Wolfram said, and she smiled.

Yuuri shivered, and he leaned in close to Wolfram. "Oi, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Lady Anissina's very well educated," Wolfram insisted, crossing his arms defensively. Anissina chuckled, chalking it up mistakenly to chauvinism.

"She's a good teacher, Yuuri!" Greta said, running over to grab Anissina's skirt. Yuuri smiled and blushed, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Wolfram frowned as he noticed Yuuri's knees shaking a little.

"Of course, of course…" he said. "Now, you must be starving! Let's go in and get something to eat."

When they turned to go, Wolfram covertly took his arm, but Yuuri pulled it away.

"You're tired, aren't you?" Wolfram hissed as they moved into the castle.

"I can't let anyone support me," Yuuri said. "I promised Greta we'd go riding tomorrow."

"Yuuri, Gisela's condition was about knowing your limits, not pushing them."

"I'll be all right. It's not that far," Yuuri argued, then smiled a little. "But thanks anyway."

Wolfram settled back, pouting. "I don't want you to break your promise to Greta either," he muttered.

"Besides, you'll be there to look after me," Yuuri said. Wolfram froze.

"Yuuri!" he growled.

"_She _asked if you could come," the double black chuckled. Wolfram bit his lip. "Weren't you paying attention?"

The blond glared. "I'd be honored to escort you on your ride tomorrow."

"Thank you," Yuuri replied, grinning.

========== break ==========

Wolfram disappeared after lunch, but not before making sure to invite Greta to dinner with them that night, to which Yuuri enthusiastically agreed. Greta spent the rest of the day with Yuuri, and Wolfram rejoined them just before dinner was served. This time, he showed up in his usual clothes, giving up the pretense of distant formality, and Yuuri had forgone the candles due to Greta's presence.

Dinner was relaxed, mostly because Wolfram was quiet and let Yuuri and Greta catch up. But toward the end of the meal, Greta started yawning. Wolfram watched her with soft eyes.

"Are you sleepy, Greta?" he asked, picking at his food with his silverware.

"No!" she exclaimed, but her yawn belied her.

Yuuri snickered behind his hand. "Greta, I think it's time for you to go to bed."

"I wanna sleep with you, Yuuri…" she complained, but Yuuri sighed, unexpectedly hesitant.

"I'm sorry," he said, ruffling her hair. "But tonight's not a good night. Tomorrow, for sure."

"Why?"

"I need to talk to Wolfram about something important," Yuuri said, and Wolfram looked at him with his brow cocked suspiciously.

"Okay," Greta sighed, trying to hide her disappointment. Yuuri leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"Sleep well, Greta."

Greta grabbed Yuuri's sleeve, looking at him with big, wet eyes. "You… You'll be here in the morning… won't you?"

Yuuri flinched. "Yes, Greta. I promise." He gave her a smile. "Come to my room as soon as you get up in the morning and wake me up, okay?"

"Okay!" she answered, her eyes sparkling again, and she walked out slowly, pausing at the door to smile before heading finally into the hallway.

Wolfram looked at Yuuri. As soon as the door had closed, Yuuri had slid down in his seat, staring up at the ceiling. He sighed deeply.

"You tired yourself out," Wolfram accused, going to stand over him so he check his eyes. When their eyes met, Yuuri smiled brightly, reaching toward Wolfram's face, but his fingers only managed to just graze the blond's hair before Wolfram blushed, startling backwards. "Yuuri!"

Yuuri laughed quietly. "Sorry."

Wolfram crossed his arms. "Hmph!"

"Anyway, there _is _something I need to discuss with you." Yuuri sat up again, his eyes serious. He stood carefully, his knees shaking a little, and started walking toward his bed. Wolfram followed, spotting him invisibly from behind. Yuuri's knees gave just as he reached the bed, but he managed to fall on the mattress with Wolfram's guidance. He crawled up and turned on his back, sighing. "Barely made it." He groaned. "Maybe I shouldn't have told Greta to wake me up tomorrow."

"What is this important thing you need to discuss?" Wolfram asked.

"It's about what happened on Earth. I mean… how I got hurt."

Wolfram's eyes widened.

Yuuri paused. "Hey, Wolf… Do you think bringing me my pajamas counts as 'supporting' me?"

Wolfram scoffed and didn't answer. Instead, he went to the closet and fetched the pajamas, throwing them in a heap on top of Yuuri's chest. Yuuri brushed them off and started unbuttoning his shirt, exposing himself button by button to Wolfram, who blushed deeper than ever and turned away.

"Don't undress in front of me!" he hissed. _I wish I didn't want to touch him._ Wolfram repressed a shiver.

"What happened to the Wolfram who used to insist on washing my back in the hot springs?" Yuuri teased, but the rustling of clothes stopped, and Wolfram turned back around, but it wasn't much better. Yuuri was sprawled out on his back with his shirt and jacket half-undone, looking disheveled on his bed. The blond sat in the chair by the bed, refusing to look at the desirable Maoh practically being offered to him on a platter so he could remember what they were talking about before.

_Oh, right! How he got hurt!_ Wolfram's heart started beating faster. He sat up, bringing his eyes again to Yuuri's face, but his eyes were closed. Wolfram wasn't sure why Yuuri had decided to tell, or why he'd chosen for Wolfram to be the one to hear it, but he was sure as hell not letting Yuuri drop off now.

"Don't you dare go to sleep, Wimp!" Wolfram cried, and Yuuri's eyes snapped open.

"Right…" he sighed. "Where to start…? Well, I'll tell you my perspective first, and then what Murata knew, since that's how it came to me."

Wolfram stared impatiently.

"I was looking for Murata," Yuuri began. "Someone from school told me he'd gone to a certain neighborhood, and when I got there, I heard a disturbance from an alley. When I got there, it was Murata and three men with knives. They were…" Yuuri swallowed hard. He turned on his side with a grimace, keeping his gaze on the sheets beneath him. He picked at a wrinkle with his fingers. His eyes showed a dull pain. Wolfram sat up straighter, listening.

"Yuuri?"

"They were assaulting him in a sexual manner."

Wolfram sucked in a gasp through his teeth. _Murata?_

It was so strange. The Sage seemed always to be so in control. Someone freely having their way with him against his will was difficult to imagine. He tried to put it out of his mind.

Wolfram sighed, settling back into his chair. "And naturally, even though you had no weapon, you went after three men with knives."

"They hadn't done that much yet. Murata's clothes were still on, but they…" Yuuri's eyes hardened with the memory. "I've never been so… enraged." His face softened again, and he laughed, still keeping his eyes locked on the bed. Being angry was difficult for Yuuri, and he didn't have the strength for it after such a long day. "But of course, you saw the result. I was no match for three men with knives." He shuddered. "I didn't do so badly at first because I had surprise on my side, but then, one of them managed to trip me, and they went after me." He laughed again. "I couldn't get up again. It was really a short run." His smile disappeared. "It hurt when they stabbed me, but… I didn't mind that much if I died, really."

"Yuuri!" Wolfram gasped reproachfully. His heart stung, and the pain showed on his face at hearing Yuuri say something like that.

"At that time, I…" He shook his head, allowing himself to look at Wolfram. "What I mean is…" Yuuri bit his lip. Wolfram was gritting his teeth, traces of tears clinging to his long eyelashes. His fists were clenched around his knees. "Wolf…"

"How dare you…?"

"I'd already lost all my friends but him," Yuuri said quietly. "It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced, especially… especially being apart from you. The thought of losing Murata, too… I already felt so alone. I was sure they were going to kill him, and he was the only friend I had left. Still… I did feel guilty for dying in front of Murata's eyes when I heard him screaming for me. He probably would have preferred me not to have interfered, but by then… well, it was too late, wasn't it?"

Wolfram swallowed hard, his heart aching at how he now knew Yuuri to have suffered. It had never occurred to him during his own loneliness that Yuuri might be in pain on Earth as well. "Any of us would have preferred you to live. Do you think any of us would ever want you to die saving us?" Wolfram said quietly.

"It wasn't as if I _wanted _to die," Yuuri grumbled, "but I couldn't let them have Murata. Besides, it was better than being alone. When I was the Maoh, I was told over and over not to endanger myself by trying to protect others, but then… I wasn't the Maoh. I was just Murata's friend. I couldn't just…" He offered Wolfram a questing smile. "Anyway, if I'd known all I had to do to get back to you was almost die… I'd have found a way much earlier!"

The blond backed up, startled. He looked away.

"I didn't… _mean _to show up in your room, Wolf," Yuuri said. "But I guess it was my fault. When I was losing consciousness, I was thinking about you. I suppose that's why I came to you." Yuuri shook himself, remembering that there was more to the story. "But there's something else. Murata thinks it's important."

"What is it?" Wolfram asked, his gaze locked on the ground. His voice was cool.

"They were apparently using maryoku. I didn't think-"

"What?" Wolfram gasped, his gaze snapping back to Yuuri's. "Why were demons trying to kill you?"

"I don't know, and neither does Murata," Yuuri replied. "He said that he heard some thugs were asking around, trying to find me, so like the overconfident dumbass that he is, he went looking for them unarmed and alone." The double black sighed, burying his face in his sheets. "I don't think he intended to actually meet them, just to find them or get information, but I guess they heard he was looking, and… anyway, there's no point in scolding him now."

Yuuri looked at Wolfram to find him staring with red, confused eyes at his face. "Why did you tell me this? What… do you want me to do with this information?"

"I thought you wanted to know," Yuuri answered. "Murata gave me permission to tell you. In fact, he said I should. I guess I agreed. As for what to do with it… you'll have to tell Gwendal." Yuuri sighed. "He'll probably overreact and post more guards." He looked into Wolfram's eyes. "But I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about… what happened to Murata. It isn't important for anyone to know that."

Wolfram's lips tensed, clenching together into a thin line. He hated secrets. "Very well." He stood.

"Oh, are you leaving now?" Yuuri asked, his voice low.

"Yes. I'm going to report to my brother immediately." Wolfram bowed slightly. "Good night."

"Good night, Wolfram," Yuuri called as Wolfram walked away. "Hey, don't forget about riding tomorrow."

"Of course not," he sighed without looking back. Again, he said, "Good night," and closed the door behind himself.

Wolfram's mind was clouded with many thoughts as he walked to Gwendal's bedroom. His heart hurt to think of Yuuri in pain, and he was worried about what had happened. In the midst of all this was a tiny pang of pity for Murata. He knew that Murata had to feel greatly ashamed of what had happened, because it was the only way he would have held back so long in telling them something that had to do potentially with Yuuri's safety.

_I can't believe Yuuri's life came to mean so little in his own eyes._

The demon's heart squeezed painfully as he knocked on Gwendal's door.

A deep voice grumbled, "Enter."

Wolfram opened the door and stepped inside. "Brother," he said.

Gwendal, who was sitting up in bed with a candle beside him, knitting, set down his work. "Wolfram. What's wrong? Has Yuuri done something to hurt you?"

"Oh…" Wolfram gasped, looking away, his cheeks burning with shame that his eyes showed his upset. "It's not like that. He… told me about how he got hurt."

The dark demon's eyes widened slightly, and he set his yarn on the nightstand. "Tell me."

Wolfram gave Gwendal the edited version, as Yuuri had requested, leaving out mostly what Yuuri had been feeling and skipping what the demons had been planning to do to Murata before killing him. When he finished his tale, Gwendal's eyes were as hard as stone with anger.

"But why?" he asked.

"Yuuri says they don't know," the blond answered. "Brother… what will you do?"

"We will of course heighten the level of security for now, and I will have Conrad recall Yozak from his mission."

Wolfram bowed. "Very well. Good night, Brother."

"Good night, Wolfram," Gwendal replied, and Wolfram turned to go, but Gwendal spoke up again. "You mustn't feel guilty for anything that has happened. You've done nothing wrong."

"Thank you." Wolfram was tired of talking and left as quickly as he could. He kept his eyes on the floor as he headed to his own rooms, and when he got there, he threw off his clothes, not bothering to put on any pajamas, and practically buried himself in blankets and pillows, willing himself to sleep. He'd need his strength if he was going to put up with Yuuri tomorrow.

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AN

Bye bye for now


	9. Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back

Thanks yall for reviews, as always. Couple o' shout-outs

rinoakim: when I type your name in my word processor, spell-check automatically changes it to "kinaki." Lol. I don't know why…

StandingOnTheRooftops: gee thanks. You're such an insightful reader!

nsomniacartist: I guess I was just thinking, if one were in Wolfram's situation, being around Yuuri would be stressful. But perhaps the phrase does seem a little out of place…

Yumi-chan Hamano & aoshi139: Thanks! I got a day off, so I got an update for you a little quicker than usual!

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"Yuuri!" Greta giggled. She was smiling brightly, riding in front of Yuuri on his horse, and he was wheeling it playfully in the grass. He looked up to see Wolfram's horse paused at the top of a hill, the blond twisted in his saddle and watching them, and he urged the horse toward him.

As they approached, Yuuri felt his eyes go soft. Wolfram always had been beautiful in the sunlight, his hair glinting golden, and the way he sat up so straight and confident on his horse made Yuuri melt inside. Yuuri slowed his horse to a stop in front of him, and the pair of animals pranced impatiently. The riders ignored them.

Wolfram frowned. "What? You're staring."

"Oh." Yuuri blushed, forcing himself to go against his character and say what he was thinking. "It's just that you look particularly nice today, Wolf."

The blond sighed and ignored him. He gestured behind them to the next hill over, where a single tall tree offered shade. "Let's have lunch beneath that tree."

"Very well," Yuuri agreed, and they made their way at a leisurely pace toward it. When they'd reached it, Wolfram dismounted first so he could help Greta get down. She started pulling food out of the picnic basket while Wolfram went to stand beside Yuuri's horse. He put his arms up to support Yuuri as he dismounted, and predictably, as soon as Yuuri's feet hit the ground, he collapsed backwards against Wolfram's chest with a gasp.

Wolfram wrapped his arms around him, holding him up. The impact between them released Wolfram's smell into the air, and Yuuri instantly forgot his embarrassment. Without thinking, he murmured, "Wolf, why do you always smell so good?"

The blond growled, cursing his faltering resolve. _I said I wasn't giving in easily, but it hasn't even been a month, and already I want to believe him._ He looked down at Yuuri reclining in his arms. In the past, Yuuri would have pushed away even if it had meant falling, but this Yuuri was relaxed and staring up at him with admiration in his eyes, as if he were treasuring the moment of contact between them. Wolfram realized he'd been holding him for a long time.

It was nice. His heart squeezed painfully.

"I knew you'd overwork yourself. I'll… help you sit down," Wolfram stammered, supporting Yuuri as he went to sit next to Greta, who'd been so busy eating that she'd been oblivious to the entire exchange. But she noticed when Wolfram helped Yuuri lower himself to the ground.

"Yuuri, are you okay?" she asked, her mouth full of half-chewed bread.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Wolfram said automatically, inured to issuing this kind of reprimand.

"Yes. It's just been a long time since I've ridden a horse, and it's more tiring than I remembered," Yuuri half-lied, glancing at Wolfram.

"We'll take a nice, long rest here," Wolfram said, smiling comfortingly at Greta, and she relaxed. If Papa Wolfram was smiling, then everything was fine; it was Yuuri's smile she couldn't trust. Besides, Wolfram was here to take care of them, so nothing bad would happen.

The three ate peacefully with Greta, at Yuuri's urging, telling them all about Anissina's classes. Yuuri had been expecting strange subject matter, like Intro to Electrical Wiring or A Feminist History of the Use of Explosives, but it all seemed very normal, resembling mostly what he himself had learned at her age, except for the more practical matters like horsemanship and etiquette. But Greta soon grew bored of such talk and went to pick flowers, always staying within sight of her two fathers.

Yuuri was leaning against the tree, and Wolfram was sitting beside him, watching Greta with his eyes half-lidded. They were silent, but it didn't seem awkward to Yuuri. They were both watching the play of the wind in the grass and listening to the leaves sliding against each other.

He was thinking about what Wolfram had said the day before about him 'lying by mistake.' By that, he must have meant 'leading on.' Right?

The double black looked at Wolfram. "So… the reason you don't believe me is that you think I'm leading you on again?" Yuuri asked quietly.

Wolfram looked at him, surprised by the sudden question. He scowled. "Yes."

"But… why would I do that?"

"Why did you do it before?" Wolfram spat, but when he looked away, his brow cleared a little. "Letting me sleep next to you night after night, neither breaking our contract nor going through with it…" Yuuri had no reply, but the blond had a question of his own. "Why did you tell _me _about what happened on Earth?"

Yuuri frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Your confidant was always Conrad. Why all of a sudden did you choose to confide in me?"

"O-Oh… well…" Yuuri looked away, letting his head rest against the knotted bark of the tree. "Of all of you, I've always felt like… more than the others, _your _loyalty was to me rather than… I mean… I thought that maybe… if it came to a choice between Shin Makoku and me, you'd have chosen me."

Wolfram looked at him with wide eyes, startled. He'd never thought of it like that.

"But… Conrad betrayed Shin Makoku that one time," Wolfram argued.

"On Shinou's order. He didn't, really," Yuuri countered. "But by lying to me and not telling me what was going on… I've forgiven him, but… it still kind of feels like a betrayal of me, personally." He looked at Wolfram sheepishly. "But that time Gunter was fighting Conrad, and everyone else was keeping it a secret, you told me. And when I was taken captive by Caloria and then Small Shimaron, you defied orders to come to me."

The blond blinked at him, slowly realizing that Yuuri was right. "But what does that have to do with this?"

"I felt you were most likely to leave out the bits that… weren't necessary… the, uh, embarrassing details, just because I asked you to. Besides," Yuuri continued, "you were the only one who showed interest in how those details affected me as a person. And anyway… it's you I don't want to keep secrets from."

Wolfram stared at Yuuri, suppressing a triumphant smile, though it showed in his eyes. _He trusts me more than Conrad? _Even though the jealousy was an old one, it had never died. He felt flattered, glad that Yuuri had chosen him, now that he understood why.

The double black looked away, biting his lip. "Can I hold your hand?"

Wolfram looked down at Yuuri's hand resting on his own lap. His stomach twisted nervously, and his pride rebelled, but it wasn't an unattractive idea. He told himself that, like it or not, Yuuri was still legally his fiance, and he shouldn't begrudge him this.

"Very well," he sighed.

For the sake of Wolfram's tender pride, Yuuri only let himself smile a little as he reached out and took the blond's hand lightly between his fingers.

"Thank you."

"Shut up, Wimp."

On the way back, Greta rode with Wolfram just in case, though Yuuri seemed to have regained his strength. He'd feel it later in the day, he was sure, but he was able to dismount and walk back to his room without help. Wolfram accompanied him to be safe, but when they got back to Yuuri's room, Yuuri paused in the doorway and turned to smile at Wolfram a little sadly.

"You spent a lot of time with me today," he said. "You don't have to come to dinner with me tonight."

Wolfram felt relieved that he'd be able to avoid the pressure of being with Yuuri any more that day, though he tried not to show it on his face.

"Greta can have dinner with you," Yuuri said. "I'll take it alone."

The blond startled, his eyes going wide. They narrowed again, and he growled, "You did that on purpose."

Yuuri blinked at him with confused eyes.

Wolfram stomped suddenly forward, forcing Yuuri to stumble backwards into his room. "You _know _I hated to hear that you felt alone on Earth-"

"You did?"

"-and you're using it against me!" Wolfram jabbed Yuuri in the chest with his finger accusingly, and Yuuri tripped over his own feet, falling flat on his ass. The blond glared down at him, his fists clenched at his sides. "Wimp!"

Scowling, Yuuri swept his leg sideways, catching Wolfram by the ankle and sending him tumbling down onto his back, knocking his head on the hard floor. The demon choked, the air knocked out of him, his arms splayed to the side in surprise. He felt something touch him, and his eyes startled open to find Yuuri hovering over him, his eyes narrow. The double black planted his hands on each of Wolfram's biceps, holding him down and straddling his stomach.

Roaring, Wolfram kicked and struggled, but Yuuri had grown in strength during his absence, and kicking a full-grown man off wasn't that easy when he had the advantage of gravity.

"Yuuri! What the hell?" Wolfram bellowed. _You couldn't even get off your horse before! Is this adrenaline?_

Wolfram froze, squeaking in surprise through his nose. Yuuri's lips had suddenly crashed down onto his own, just pressing there, hard.

_No! I'm not ready!_

Wolfram stiffened, then relaxed completely, his hands thumping quietly against the floor as they came down. He lay there like a stone, feeling Yuuri's weight on his stomach.

Yuuri sat up, trying to read Wolfram's eyes with his own, but the blond had deadened them.

"I'm sorry," Yuuri said quietly, rolling off. Wolfram could feel sparks, like static electricity, run up his arms as Yuuri's hands were removed.

_So he was using maryoku._

Wolfram sat up, rubbing the back of his head. It throbbed from having hit the floor.

"Did I hurt you?" Yuuri asked, though he couldn't look at him.

"No!" Wolfram snapped, then calmed himself with a deep breath. He stood. "I'll not be having dinner with you tonight, but Greta will."

Yuuri made no answer, sitting still on the floor as Wolfram spun on his heel and left the room.

The double black sat there for a long time, thinking, but his thoughts were muddled. The only thing that rang clear was the realization that he had really screwed up.

========== break ==========

Gunter sat staring at his wine glass, cursing his luck. He hadn't intended on having dinner alone with Gwendal. He really hadn't, and Gwendal obviously hadn't intended it, either, from the way his brow was bent with tension on the other side of the table. They'd been expecting Wolfram, Cheri, and Conrad at least, but Wolfram had made excuses about a headache, and Conrad just hadn't shown up, though since Yozak had been recalled from his mission, they had their guesses about where Conrad would be. Cheri had wanted to be with Wolfram, concerned about his 'headache,' and apparently, Yuuri was having dinner alone with Greta, so Gunter and Gwendal had ended up alone at the dinner table.

"I finished the report you wrote about what happened to Heika," Gunter said to break the silence. He figured that talking business would ease Gwendal's tension.

"Yes?" Gwendal swallowed the bit of steak he'd been chewing and looked up.

"Do you have any ideas about who or why?" Gunter inquired.

"No. You?"

"Well… no. It doesn't really make sense, does it?"

"No," Gwendal replied curtly.

"You're even quieter than usual," Gunter sighed.

"I think you know why that is," Gwendal answered in a low voice.

"Do you want to-"

"Talk about it? No."

Gunter looked away, trying to hide the hurt in his eyes. He was sensitive and didn't like being snapped at.

"I apologize," Gwendal said quietly. "But there's no point in talking about it until you've figured out what you want."

Gunter pouted. "How am I supposed to figure out if I want it if I don't know what it's like?"

"If you don't know what I'm like by now-"

"That's not what I mean." He looked at Gwendal across the table, his eyes sparkling in the candlelight. Gwendal's brow arched.

"Are you insinuating something indecent, von Christ?"

Gunter laughed, covering his mouth with his hand. "I'm sorry. The tension is getting to me."

Gwendal stood suddenly, and Gunter's laughter tapered off as the darker mazoku went to stand beside his chair. He reached down, digging his fingers into the hair at the back of Gunter's neck, and leaned in close.

"Because I'm not opposed to a little… experimentation… if _you're _not."

Gunter felt his fair skin flushing pink. "Are you… prepared for what might happen to our relationship if I decide I don't want it?"

Gwendal unashamedly leaned closer to take a breath of the smell of Gunter's hair. "That possibility has existed since I first attempted to confess to you. I believe we are both strong enough to remain… on good terms if this doesn't work out."

Gunter looked at him, batting his eyelashes. "Do you really think that, or do you just want me?"

"I think that," Gwendal said. "Besides, the question is academic."

"Why?"

Gwendal tightened his fist in Gunter's shining locks. "Because… you want it."

He pulled Gunter up by his hair, kissing him hard. Gunter yipped in surprise but wasted no time returning the kiss, moaning as Gwendal's tongue forced its way into his mouth.

When they broke for breath, Gunter blinked hazily up at Gwendal. "Come to my room," Gunter breathed huskily, but Gwendal shook his head.

"I'll have you in _my _bed," he said in a low voice, and Gunter blushed deeper, clenching his lips together as he nodded once and stood to follow Gwendal.

========== break ==========

"Mother," Wolfram sighed, his brow twitching. His mother was on the other side of the small table they'd set up in her room for dinner. She was grinning and pleased with herself.

"I'm sorry!" she giggled. "But I just had to get Gunter and Gwendal alone. They've been taking way too long about this."

Wolfram went pale, covering his mouth with his hand.

"I was about to lose my bet," Cheri continued.

"You've been betting on them?" Wolfram gasped, letting his fork full of food drop back onto his plate.

"Dear Wolfie," Cecilie chuckled, taking a sip of her wine, "speaking of bets…"

The blond's eyes widened. "Mother!"

"What's taking so long between you and Yuuri, hm?"

Wolfram stood, but Cheri's hand on his shoulder pushed him back down, not hard enough to force him, but he couldn't disobey his mother.

"That's none of your business," he grumbled. "Besides, it hasn't been long at all!"

"Is it pride? Or is Yuuri messing up again?"

Wolfram glared but didn't answer. A tap on the door took him by surprise. Murata came in, bowing.

"You called, Cecilie-sama?" he said, grinning his usual grin of fake harmlessness. Wolfram suddenly had an image of the man being assaulted, and his mouth snapped shut.

"I just thought you should have dinner with us tonight," Cheri said, gesturing with her glass to the untouched place setting to her left and Wolfram's right.

"I'd be delighted," Murata said, ignoring the look of tension on Wolfram's face as he went to sit beside them.

"Cecilie-sama!" a girl cried, and they looked up to see Nicola come running in. "They were both seen just now going into von Voltaire-sama's room together!"

Cheri squealed, clasping her hands with Nicola's. "Finally! That means I won the bet! Free love wins today!"

Murata chuckled into his wine. Wolfram groaned.

"Yet another reason I shouldn't give in to Yuuri," he grumbled, resting his head on his hand. "If I do, _this _will happen."

"Oh, Wolfie!" Cheri exclaimed in disappointment, but Wolfram stood, his eyebrow twitching again.

"Good night, Mother."

"You've barely touched your food!"

"Good night, Mother!" Wolfram hurried out. Nicola followed, feeling awkward.

Cecilie sighed, looking at Murata. She wasn't usually left alone with him, but it wasn't really in her nature to feel out of place with anyone. "Well, Daikenja-sama," she said, "have you fully adjusted to life here again?"

Murata nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"Have you been sleeping well? I notice you've been a little tired."

The Sage paused, surprised at her insight, but continued chewing after a moment. "The bed is strange, but I'm sure with time…"

Cheri nodded. "I understand. I've slept in so many strange beds during my travels," she sighed, meaning that she'd stayed in many hotels, but when Murata choked on his food, she realized how it had sounded, and she chuckled demurely. "I didn't mean the beds of strangers, Geika."

"I'm sure," Murata recovered, smiling.

"And Yuuri? Is he completely recovered?"

"I expect so. At any rate, he'll be diverting all his attention to Wolfram from now on."

Cecilie smiled.

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AN

Laters!


	10. Castle Goes to Sleep

This update is a little shorter than usual. I'm posting it early because I wanted to announce that…

NEXT CHAPTER THIS STORY WILL MOVE UP TO AN 'M' RATING. It will be for a scene of sexual assault, and I plan to post it on Wednesday. It will be in a chapter by itself so you can skip it if you want to.

I know it's rude to type in all caps, but I know some people probably don't read the author's note at the beginning, so I wanted to catch their attention. lol…

Anyway, here's the update.

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Wolfram groaned and crawled into bed, curling up on his side. He hadn't been lying about having a headache; the majutsu that Yuuri, a water-wielder, had used on him had left him with throbbing temples and a hint of nausea, almost like when he was forced to ride over water. He was sure he'd feel better in the morning, but in the meantime, he couldn't deal with his mother.

The blond sighed and opened his eyes again on his dim chambers. He could see the moonlight flowing into his room from the window, leaving sharp silver rectangles on the floor. The wind outside was gusty and rattling the glass in spurts. A wisp of cloud drifted across the sky, reflecting moonlight around its edges.

_Autumn will be here before long_, Wolfram thought, sitting up. From his new angle, he could see the black, hoary shapes of trees waving in the wind. _Soon we'll be waking up to snow on the ground._ He slid out of bed and went to the glass doors to open them. The wind that blew in was unexpectedly cold, but he still stepped outside. The coolness felt good on his brow. Wolfram leaned on the railing of his balcony, clearing his mind of all his thoughts.

It was nice not to think about Yuuri for a change. He contemplated his horse and Greta's next round of lessons and other trivial things, and he felt his muscles relax a bit. Wolfram stretched his arms up, squeezing the last of the tension out of his shoulders before going back inside. The chill had soaked into his clothes, and he shuffled them off as he closed the window. He let them lay where they were on the floor as he climbed back into bed and rolled up in his blankets.

He closed his eyes. _Maybe it's time to consider Yuuri seriously._

========= break ==========

Gunter was pressed tightly against Gwendal's side in the dark, his knee curled over the man's thigh. His body was hot, and the places where their skin touched felt sticky. He sighed, absently rubbing his palm over Gwendal's muscular stomach, and buried his face in his neck. Gwendal, lying on his back, had his arm around him, his hand pressed unmoving against his smooth lower back as if to keep him from moving. The darker mazoku's eyes were glazed from exhaustion and satiety.

"Gunter," he said finally, and Gunter looked up at him.

"Hmm?" he purred, smiling softly.

"Are you hot under the blankets?"

"Well, a bit."

Gwendal tossed the blankets aside, wafting a sudden burst of cooler air over them, and Gunter startled, surprised that Gwendal wasn't ashamed to expose their naked, fluid-stained bodies, even though there was no one else in the room and the doors were bolted tight. Gunter blushed.

"Can I… spend the night here?" he whispered. He didn't think that Gwendal would have waited years to initiate this if he'd meant it to be a one-night fling, but he still wasn't quite sure what they were.

Gwendal's eyes were closed. His arm around Gunter tightened just slightly. "Yes," he grunted in a sleep-muddled voice that showed he was ready to retire for the evening.

Gunter made himself stay awake, looking around the dark, austere room while Gwendal went to sleep. Gwendal's family banner hung on the wall opposite. It was the only decoration in the room, other than their clothes scattered on the floor. There was a closet on the interior wall and a trunk at the foot of the bed. In one corner there was a mannequin wearing Gwendal's quietly glinting armor, and on the exterior wall a pair of glass doors lead to a balcony, like most of the higher-class residents had. The moon was pouring strongly through the glass and falling across the foot of the bed, just touching their feet and making them look silver.

He turned his eyes back up to Gwendal's face to find the man fully asleep. His eyes widened a little at the sight he knew few people to have seen.

Gwendal looked so different in sleep, his hair loosened and his brow glistening with the dried sweat of their lovemaking. He was handsome when he was awake, but even more so in sleep, when his brow was not creased with stress. His mouth hung open just slightly as he breathed, and his muscular chest rolled gently, like a wave on the beach at midday.

The sweat on his body had finally cooled him, and Gunter reached gingerly across Gwendal's body to cover them up again. When he lay back, he sighed. Sleep wanted him badly, but he wanted to watch Gwendal for a while longer.

_I'll just have to make sure I get to see it again…_

Gunter shivered. Sex with Gwendal had been toe-curlingly good, and he was sure he'd been noisy, though he didn't quite remember. Gwendal had been unexpectedly solicitous afterwards, and Gunter had been appreciative.

As Gunter finally fell asleep, he thought, _This has to happen again._

========= break ==========

Yuuri lay on his side, his head resting on his hand as he smiled softly at the sight of Greta sprawled out on her back on the other side of the bed. She was snoring peacefully in her pajamas, though it had taken her a while to get to sleep. She'd been worried about Wolfram, having heard about his headache, but Yuuri had convinced her that Wolfram would be fine in the morning. He himself wasn't sure if it was a real headache or not, but either way, he was certain to have caused it.

He rolled onto his back and stared up at the canopy over his bed. A pang of guilt hit him in the stomach as he thought about what he'd done to Wolfram. But when the blond had confessed being worried about him, a whirlwind of emotions had carried him away. He was glad Wolfram had been worried, frustrated by Wolfram's stubbornness, embarrassed by the weakness that had caused him to fall, and angered by the blond's paranoia.

And he'd reacted by attempting to dominate his prideful best friend, to force him to acknowledge Yuuri's feelings. It was painful for Wolfram to deny the existence of something that Yuuri felt so strongly.

Yuuri winced, his frustration ebbing away with the realization that Wolfram must have felt something similar.

_Be patient_, he told himself. _Trying to force Wolfram is only going to make him pull away more._

Closing his eyes, Yuuri sighed. _Try to sleep._

========= break ==========

Across the castle, Wolfram was having a dream.

In his dream, it was soon after Yuuri had left. He was sitting beneath his favorite old tree by himself, staring out over the grass through scratchy, moist eyes. He leaned his head back against the tree, staring up at the gray sky through the branches. It looked like rain, but Wolfram didn't care. Yuuri was gone.

"That asshole," Wolfram breathed, reaching up to rub his eyes with his sleeve. He didn't even notice the horse approaching beside him. The man astride it stared at Wolfram for a long time, watching him recover from his bout of shameful tears. A rend in the clouds sent a brief sprinkling of light over Wolfram, his hair sparkling against his will. The man gasped quietly. After a moment, he nudged his horse forward, and Wolfram's eyes snapped to him. But in his dream, the man was just a shadowy figure with no face. The horse he rode was chestnut.

"Are you all right?" the man asked gently, admiring the way the red around Wolfram's eyes highlighted the emeralds set there. But the eyes turned indignant, and Wolfram stood.

"I'm perfectly well, thank you," he said, his voice proud but hoarse from crying. His hands were shaking a little. He clenched them into fists, angry, cheeks burning at having been caught in this condition. He turned toward his own horse to go, but the man kicked his horse into a canter, circling around and blocking him.

Wolfram scowled and stepped back defensively. "What do you want?"

"I want to know who's hurt you so that I may avenge you," the man said, grinning, and for a moment, Wolfram's dream almost showed the man's face. The smile was memorable somehow.

Wolfram tossed his head with a scoff. "I'm no maiden in need of rescuing."

"I'm sure you are not," the man said, urging his horse forward. Wolfram stepped back again, his hand going for his sword. "But for one with as fiery a disposition as you have, if you were able to avenge yourself, I'm sure you would."

The blond growled. "This isn't about vengeance. And it's none of your business." It started to rain. "Anyway, you can't avenge yourself against someone who's gone, can you?"

The man seemed to look over Wolfram, taking in his shape daringly, and Wolfram called his horse. The man made him nervous, somehow, though not exactly afraid.

"You're Wolfram von Bielefeld, aren't you?" the man said. In the dream, Wolfram heard a tinkling of medals on the man's chest. The color purple flashed across his eyes from atop the man's horse as his own horse obediently came around the tree for him. Wolfram mounted and settled into his saddle.

"What of it?"

"Your spirit attracts me," the man declared boldly. "I will take vengeance on the one who has ungraciously spurned you."

"Ha!" Wolfram laughed mockingly. The man's sudden declaration of attraction was nothing new to the beautiful Wolfram. Anyway, Yuuri was in no danger. He was on Earth. "Good luck."

Wolfram startled awake. _That was a memory. Why did I remember that now?_

The blond had completely forgotten that man. He remembered hearing later that it was a certain person who had come to the castle, but he couldn't remember who it was, and he'd never seen him since. He'd been so distraught at the time at having lost Yuuri that he'd paid no attention to the strange happening.

But now Wolfram sat up, digging in his desk for something to write with. He knew himself; he had to write this down or he would forget in the morning.

========= break ==========

AN

Bye yall. Catch you on the M side!


	11. Flashback: Murata

Thank you all for your reviews so far! Here is a very short update. From now on, this story will be rated M. I know I said Wednesday, but I'm not sure I'll have time tomorrow, so it's early.

This scene graphically depicts sexual assault. If you don't want to read that... just leave. ^^

Like the other scene from Earth, this is a...

========== FLASHBACK ==========

Murata tried to restrain his rising sense of panic. He looked on either side of the approaching man for an escape, but the alley was blocked by his pair of comrades. He looked up at the man again as the thug reached for him. Gasping, he knocked the hand away, but the man just grinned and flashed the blade in his other hand. This time, his hand darted forward too quickly to avoid. It gripped him by the throat and lifted him easily off of his feet. Murata tried to breathe through the hand crushing his windpipe, his hands flying up to tear at the fingers holding him. His glasses fell off, but he hardly noticed.

"Black hair," the thug said, turning him in the light to see him more clearly, "and black eyes. He knows about Mazoku and came looking for us."

Already Murata's vision was dancing with dark spots as he choked. His feet kicked against the wall.

"Sounds like King Yuuri to me," the leader continued, "or if he's not, he knows where to find him."

He suddenly released Murata, who fell to his hands and knees on the slick cement, coughing and gasping for air. His throat burned.

"He's the right age for King Yuuri," another thug agreed.

Murata's eyes widened. _They think I'm Yuuri?_

"Well?" the first demanded, staring down at Murata, who looked up at him before sitting up on his knees.

Murata blinked. He could feel himself shaking. He considered telling them he wasn't Yuuri as the man approached again, but his heart sank. _If it were the other way around, he'd take it for you without a second thought._

Murata tried to stand. _I've got to make this convincing_, he thought, but the man was already convinced. Grinning, he grabbed Murata's collar and looked into his eyes. He leaned in close. "You're really are him," he said, "aren't you?"

The Sage's strategic reply was to try to struggle, and the man laughed.

"I thought so. Now, what was the first thing our master wanted us to do?" he said, pushing Murata nonchalantly over onto his side into a pile of rank garbage. The Sage scrambled up dizzily but fell back against the wall again. He couldn't see very well without his glasses, but he could make out the dark shapes of the men well enough to know he was still trapped.

"Hurt him, humiliate him, and then kill him," the other man said smugly, as if rattling off a grocery list.

_Who? Why? _Murata thought but had no time to dwell on it. He closed his eyes as the man came in close and drew back his hand. The fist landed in his stomach, knocking the wind out of him, and he fell to his knees, gasping. Immediately, he was backhanded across the cheekbone, and he landed on his side. A kick to the chest winded him again, and he coughed. He tasted blood from somewhere. A hand on his throat pulled him up to his knees again, and he felt himself shoved against the wall.

"Not putting up much of a fight, are you?" the man grumbled. "I guess you're not much here on Earth, huh?" The hand on his throat moved up to wind into his hair, and he clenched his teeth in pain. The cold knife pressed against his throat, and he froze, looking up toward his captor's face, unashamed of the fear in his own eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" Murata choked.

"Just following orders, kid," the thug laughed. Murata's stomach tightened when he saw the man using the knife-bearing hand to fumble with his belt buckle, which was at eye-level.

_He's… going to make me…_

"No…" Murata gasped, trying to pull back, but the wall and the fingers gripping his hair prevented him. The man used his grasp to shake Murata's head painfully in punishment. Murata struggled. "I'll bite it off! You're going to kill me later anyway!"

He felt, rather than saw the looming shadow grin. "I could kill you now."

Murata froze. In the space of a millisecond, he weighed in his mind the possibility of being rescued along with his chances of surviving a stabbing and whether he wanted to live those few extra minutes if they were going to be spent sucking a rapist's cock.

It was hard to decide. In all his lives, he'd never been sexually assaulted before.

"Now open your mouth like a good slut," the man gritted, lightly banging Murata's head against the wall again.

Blinking tears from his down-turned eyes, Murata opened his mouth hesitantly. Instantly, the half-hard cock invaded it, and Murata gagged loudly in surprise, a pair of teardrops sliding down his cheeks.

The man laughed, turning back toward his companions as he pulled back and thrust the hardening organ again and again into Murata's throat. "Bitch is already crying."

"Get your fucking hands off him now!"

Murata's eyes snapped open, a mixture of relief and dread flooding him. He could see his friend's silhouette in the streetlight. _Yuuri?_

In surprise, the man pulled out of Murata's mouth, and Murata fell on his hands, choking, his throat raw. His voice was hoarse as he called, "Run away, you idiot!" He dragged his sleeve across his mouth to wipe away the thick saliva running down his chin. He swallowed against the lingering salty taste of the demon's cock on his tongue.

"As if I could do that!" Yuuri growled as the man shoved himself back into his pants, tightening his grip on his knife.

Another thug grabbed Murata and held him against the wall with a knife to his throat while the first two fought with Yuuri. Murata ignored him, his eyes locked on his friend. It took a depressingly short time for them to get him on the ground, and Murata, his mouth hanging open in shock, didn't try to repress his tears as he watched them stab and beat him until he stopped moving, lying still in a pool of his own blood.

_Yuuri… Yuuri… No…_

And then he disappeared.

Murata gasped, his knees finally giving out. He felt them hit the gravelly pavement as he rocked back to lean against the wall.

"What the hell?" one of them cried. "Where'd he go?"

"Shin Makoku?"

They looked at Murata, but he just shook his head, his eyes wide with his own confusion. Growling, the thug grabbed him by his hair again and bounced his head off the the wall. Murata fell on his face with an open cry, part of his arm and his forehead landing in Yuuri's blood.

And he felt himself dissolving. _Ah… me too? Oh, thank Shinou._

"The water's turning red!"

"Geika!"

"Hurry, fish him out!"

Murata felt himself floating on the surface of cold water, face-down, but he was quickly pulled up and rolled over on his back. He could hear voices echoing as if in a large room, and the floor felt like stone.

"Geika... what happened?"

Murata recognized Ulrike's voice and knew himself to be safe. He let himself fall asleep. He could answer her questions later.

========== end flashback ============

AN

I should have a longer update (and shout-outs) soon. Thanks for reviewing!


	12. bye yall

I'm sorry to have hooked you in so far, but due to the Paternal Unit, I shall not be participating in this site anymore. If anyone wants to continue it, whatevers. Sorry. Bye y'all.


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